Fate bloodlines
by supertinagirl6
Summary: 10 years after the 5th Holy Grail War took place, a 6th one has began when Rin was was prevented from dismantling it. Now Tamiko Katou finds herself trapped in the battle with her servant Caster by her side and ends up confronted by the mysterious Archer Emiya who has been summoned to prevent humanity's extinction. Alternate Timeline, follows the UBW route of Fate/stay night.
1. Chapter 1 - The Summoning

Fate/bloodlines

 _Walls covered in blood. The lifeless body of a full grown man lying slumped against the wall with an enormous hole in his chest. Police enter the premise after receiving a call about screams emerging from the home. They stared in horror at the gruesome sight before them. They couldn't find anyone else in the room aside from the lifeless man and the small trembling form of a little girl._

Chapter 1

It was a peaceful day in Fuyuki City. A seventeen year-old girl with ginger hair groaned as she stirred on her futon, blinking open her tired hazel eyes. The smell of food prompted her stomach to growl with hunger as she pushed herself into a sitting position. Her movements still slightly sluggish with sleep, she managed to get up and dress in her school uniform. Making her way to the living room, she was greeted with the sight of a man in his late thirties with spiky black hair and a goatee cooking up breakfast.

The man turned toward her and chuckled with a smile. "I figured the smell of food would wake you up. You're such a sleepyhead Tamiko. Your brother is already seated at the table. Go ahead and join him, I'll have breakfast finished in just a few more seconds." he stated.

Tamiko smiled out of gratefulness as she replied "Thanks, Uncle Ken."

Without another word she sat at the table next to Makoto. She tilted curiously over at the handheld game he was playing. A small giggle escaped her lips when the child noticed her and twisted his body where she couldn't watch the game he was playing. Much like Ken had promised, within seconds he walked over to the table with plates of food. She couldn't help but crack a grin as she watched the child eagerly dug into his breakfast.

"You better start eating too, Tamiko." the older man advised, pausing to eat a fork full of food before continuing, "You don't want to be late for school."

Upon hearing this, the teenager quickly began scarfing down her food. She couldn't afford to be late, especially when it was the last month of her school year.

"What's the hurry, gonna see your boyfriend?" Makoto teasingly smirked. Her lips pursed, greeting him with an annoyed glare. Pushing aside the boy's playful taunt, Tamiko quickly finished up her breakfast. She bid her family goodbye, placing on her shoes and darting out of the door. She stepped out into the chilly air of the last remaining days of winter. Shivering with each step, the student stopped in her tracks. She couldn't explain it, but she had felt a strange presence. Her brows furrowed in confusion. Slowly the girl looked over her shoulder. The sight that greeted her was an empty sidewalk. Tamiko faced forward once more; her lips pressed into a firm frown. It was almost as if she were peering into a mirror and seeing nothing. Disregarding the feeling as pre-exam jitters, she headed for school.

Tamiko continued to battle the strange jitters as she kept walking. She had no idea how long her trek lasted till she was drawn out of her thoughts by the sound of students rushing past her. Blinking her eyes, the teen quickly learned she had already made it to both her school and classroom. She sat down at her desk, stunned she has been lost in her thoughts for so long. With much care, she began pulling her books out of her bag. As she reached down for the final book, someone bumped into her. The teen immediately glanced up, ready to demand an explanation, but paused at the sight she was greeted with. Before her was a seventeen year-old boy with his hair swept to the side. She didn't fail to notice the heavy bags lingering under the teen's bright blue eyes.

Tamiko heard the teenage boy grunt, his gaze meeting hers when he tilted his head.

"Sorry, trying to get to over to my seat. Just go on with your business." he muttered drowsily.

The teenage girl didn't respond, watching as he walked over to his desk. In that instant, the classroom was immediately filled with whispered rumors.

"I think that's the third time this week Saito has showed up tired for school. Makes you wonder what he's been doing." Tamiko heard one student whisper.

"You don't suppose he's doing any kind of late night activities with anyone in particular do you?" another whispered back.

"With how solitary he is, wouldn't surprise me if he's had a few dirty secrets." the first student replied.

Tamiko's nose scrunched up in disgust. If there's one thing she can't stand in life, it's baseless rumors. Wondering if Saito could hear them, she glanced back towards him. Much to her surprise, she saw him simply sigh. Her brows raised as she watched the teen retrieve his books from his bag. Tamiko thought the boy would surely be more disturbed by the whispers surrounding him. From examining him, he seemed only mildly annoyed to her. She couldn't help but find herself worried for the teen. As far as she knew, he had no friends and never made the effort to make any. While Tamiko didn't believe the rumors, the teen knew there had to be something wrong for the her classmate to show up exhausted for the third time that week.

After a few seconds of thought, she made her decision. No matter what anyone thought, she intended to get to the root of the problem. With her mind set, she directed her attention to the teacher and opened up her book.

The ringing of the bell filled Tamiko's ears, and recalling her plan she quickly gathered up her things and made her way over to Saito. As she approached, she could see the boy was sluggishly placing his books back in his bag.

"Saito-kun, is everything alright? You don't seem to be getting much sleep lately." she asked.

She noticed the blue-haired teen stiffened momentarily from the question, mixed emotions lingering in his eyes. Silence filled the air for a few seconds. Finally Saito responded with an tired groan slipping from his mouth before proceeding to hastily shove his book into his bag.

"Don't listen to those ridiculous rumors, Katou-san. What happens in my life is of no one's concern." he stated in a stern tone.

Refusing to let the issue die, Tamiko continued to press on. "But Saito-kun, despite the rumors, you're still showing up exhausted. Keep this up and it could endanger your health."

Voicing her concerns managed to earn an annoyed sigh from the teenage boy as he responded "I think I just told you that it's none of your concern. Get it through your head, I'm fine. I don't need anyone's help."

"But Saito-ku-"

"I said it's none of your concern, I'm fine!" Saito interrupted her with a raised voice, causing the few remaining students to stare in surprise.

Tamiko was taken back, her hazel eyes wide. Her mouth hung open, struggling to come up with response. With no words coming to mind, she sighed with the shake of her head. She frowned as she watched the seventeen year-old finish packing up his things and storm out of the classroom. It was clear Saito wanted to hide away the cause of his problems. But despite this, Tamiko knew it couldn't be something she could force out of him. The teen let out a small breath, leaving the classroom without another word.

Curious as to what Ken would be cooking for supper, she quickly made her way to the school gate. Her mouth was practically drooling in delight at the thought of the older man's cooking. Before she could begin the trek home, the sound of two individuals talking caught her attention. Turning quickly on her heel, her eyes widened when she saw Saito speaking a woman with auburn curly hair. She was baffled. Tamiko had never seen the woman before, leaving her to wonder who she was and how she knew Saito. Wishing for answers, she quickly darted toward their direction just as the two walked around the gate's wall as she reached the corner.

"Saito-kun!" she called out as she dashed around the curve.

Yet when she arrived, there was no sign of either one. "Wait, where..." she mumbled to herself, glancing back and forth in confusion.

With no leads to give her any kind of answers, she decided to go home. By the time she arrived, the sun was beginning to set and the smell of cooking reached her nose. With an eager smile, she took off her shoes and entered the house.

"Uncle Ken, I'm home!" she called out.

The dark-haired man turned from his cooking, "You arrived just in time. Go ahead and get changed. Dinner will be re-"

Tamiko paused at her guardian's silence. Turning toward him, she could see his brows were furrowed tightly, painting the clear picture of concern.

"Tamiko, did you hurt your left hand while at school?"

The ginger-haired girl was puzzled by this remark. Yet when she glanced down at her hand, her confusion only grew. A strange bruise of deep red was spread out on her skin.

"That's odd." she commented as she held her hand closer to her face, "I guess I must have hit it against something."

Thinking deeply about the possible cause, the teen couldn't recall anything that might have created the bruise. It certainly wasn't something she had that morning. The only thing Tamiko could think of was when Saito accidentally bumped into her. Deciding it was nothing to be concerned about, she headed to her room and changed into a set of casual clothes. Walking back to the living room, she managed to see Ken pulling on his jacket beside the set table.

"I'm think I'll head over to Makoto's school and join him on his walk. I shouldn't be long. Take care till then." he stated.

Tamiko nodded her head in understanding. She watched her guardian leave the house. Silence lingered in the air as she ate her supper and cleaned up after herself. The ginger-haired girl waited to hear the sound of the front door sliding open and the voices of both Ken and Makoto filling the air. Yet much to her concern, those sounds never reached her ears. Glancing out of the window, she frowned upon noticing nightfall had arrived.

 _"Those two are never this late. What on earth could be keeping them?"_ she thought.

Confusion lingered in Tamiko's mind as worry grew in her heart. But all of the sudden, her thoughts were shattered by a loud bang. The teen's heart stopped as she immediately spun to face the sound. It seemed like someone had crashed onto the patio out in the back. Acting on instincts, she quickly darted for the phone with the intent to call the police. Unfortunately when she held it up to her ear, the phone made no noise. Tamiko pressed frantically as panic overcame her. But no matter how much she tried, the phone wouldn't make a single sound.

 _"The phone is dead! But why is it dead?! Did whatever made that bang take out the landline? Oh god, if it did, that means I can't call anyone!"_ she thought to herself, _"Jeez, if Uncle Ken and Makoto are still alright, I hope they don't show up now."_

There was only one thing the seventeen year-old could think to do in her current situation. She ran to Makoto's room and grabbed his baseball bat. Her body trembled as she made her way out to the patio, terrified of what she would find. Swallowing her fears, her hand reached out for the sliding door and slowly began to push it open. She managed to open the door a crack, but immediately froze in shock. Out in the backyard was none other than the woman with auburn the teen had seen with Saito. Only now Tamiko noticed the woman was not dressed in casual winter clothing; instead she was in a strange dress with armored boots and gauntlets.

The mysterious woman's teeth were clenched into a deadly sneer, her blue eyes burning with rage and determination. Her sights were set on a black-haired woman before her dressed in a suit with red trimmings, accompanied by a top hat and a long cape.

"My my, keep sneering like that and your face will freeze that way. What would the suitors have to say about that?" the woman with dark hair chuckled as she casually waved around a black cane.

"You have a lot of talk for a lassie that's about to be gutted." the spearswoman snarled, her grip on her weapon tightening.

"My, quite bold as well. I must say, defeating you will be quite the thrilling experience." the top hatted woman smirked.

Instead of replying, the woman with blazing colored hair yelled in rage as she charged. Her teeth clenched with her arm pulled back, firmly gripping the spear. She didn't hesitate to thrust forward. The sharp tip speeding toward the opponent, aimed directly at the stomach. It was inches from piercing the woman's skin, yet at the last second it was knocked aside by the cane. Metal clinked together. The red-head let out a frustrated snarl as her lance scraped along the dirt. Without any warning, she turned toward her enemy with a jerk; her arm outstretched and swinging her weapon in a large arc.

The finely dressed woman reacted immediately to the attack. With arms pressed tightly against her chest, she propelled herself over the weapon. The spearhead sliced through the red cape, tearing it. She chuckled with a mischievous glint in her eyes. Swinging out a leg, the heeled boot slammed down on the spearwoman's lungs. The impact sent her flying into the wall of the house, with a smash and the sound of wood cracking. She grabbed her lance with one hand, and pushed herself off the splintered wall with the other.

Teeth clenched together, blue eyes burning in rage. A mighty battle cry erupted forth from her throat, feet pushing harshly against the ground. She dashed toward her opponent, spear thrust outward. The attack was greeted with air as the target twisted out of the way. But the red-head did not give up, immediately pulling back and repeating her action. She jabbed frantically outward in a flurry of strikes too fast for Tamiko to see. All that was clear is that every one of those strikes would be fatal. The top hatted woman dodged as best as could, her enemy's movements too quick to deflect with the cane. For every jump backwards, tilt, or even spin, another thrust awaited. The two strangers' fatal dance crossed them over the entire length of the yard, nearing one of the peach trees towering over the home.

The elegant female's lips pursed, dark brown eyes searching for an escape route. She tried to turn to allow the spear to miss once more. The tip ripped through her sleeve, grazing the skin. A sharp inhale was heard from the woman, panic clearly painted on her face.

"I have you now. Nowhere left to run." the warrior with fiery colored hair sneered.

Her opponent frantically glanced at the surroundings area. Brown eyes managed to catch a glimpse of a small tree branch. Acting fast, she jumped up, hands firmly gripping onto the tree. Swinging her legs, she gave herself enough momentum to spin. Boots harshly met a chin, knocking the woman to the ground. A frustrated growl escaped her mouth, watching the agile female release the branch, launching toward and landing on the roof. Her ringing laughter filling the air.

"Honestly deary you must do better than that if you wish to land a blow on me. Not a man nor woman alive could catch me, what makes you think wildly flailing around your lance would work?" she taunted.

The woman with auburn hair did not reply. Her brows furrowed in determination. Without warning, she pulled back her arm and threw the weapon with all her might. The pike went flying through the air at high speeds, but the woman in the top hat was able to dodge it with the simple tilt of her head to the side.

"Seems you missed deary." the woman chuckled.

But much to her surprise, a dark grin formed on the spearwoman's face as she replied "Wasn't aiming for you lassie."

At that instant, a loud snap filled the air. The dark-haired woman had no time to react as a large tree branch crashed down on top of her, smashing her through the roof.  
An amused chuckle slipped forth the redhead's mouth. She held out her hand, palm wide open. The spear reappeared within it with a burst of light.

Tamiko couldn't believe what she had just witnessed. She didn't know who the two women were and certainly didn't understand why they were fighting. Frightened of gaining the attention of the two, the girl took a step back. The moment she did, the floorboards beneath her creaked. Her face paled in horror, instantly realizing her action had been a poor decision. Breath hitching in fear as her eyes darted upward; her body stiffened when they made direct contact with a pair of angry blue ones. Acting on instinct alone, she began to run down the hallway. Heart pounding, the teen didn't dare look back to the crashing sound. All she could think of was reaching safety.

She dashed to the end of the corridor, spotting Ken's room on her right. Without hesitation, Tamiko entered the room, slamming the sliding door behind her. Frantic breathing filled the air as her eyes glanced around the area. She needed a placed to hide and fast. Finally her gaze settled on the closet door.

 _"Not ideal but it's all I got."_

She had no seconds thoughts as she ran into the closet. Shaky breaths slipped from her lips, her body trembling in fear with hands firmly planted against the wood. Would that woman still find her? Was she going to die? Tamiko didn't know the answer. Taking in one last deep breath, she glanced over her shoulder. But the moment she did this, she paused. The sight before her was not clothing hanging on a rack. Rather a large dark room with stony walls. Shelves lined with books and a table with an assortment of papers and unfamiliar items. In the center of the room was a large circle with intricate designs in it.

Tamiko's brows furrowed.

 _"This place..."_ Her gaze settled on the wall with dried bloodstains, _"It seems... familiar."_

She took another step into the room, her focus locking solely on the magic circle.

"Why is this place here, in Uncle Ken's roo...ro.." The ginger barely noticed the burning sensation that began to develop on the back of her hand. "Why-" An urge was growing within her, burying any other thoughts of distraction. "Let...wait" Emotionless, she approached the seal. Her eyes seemed to lose life. Movement seeming mechanical as she held her hand over the magic circle. In that instant, the carvings began to glow a soft blue.

"Let steel and iron be the essence."

With each word the circle grew brighter and the burning on her hand increased. Suddenly, there was banging. The wooden door shattered as a foot smashed through it. The spearwoman from earlier snarled as she pushed her way through the broken wood. But Tamiko did no react, her mind dazed as words continued to spill forth. It was like her body had a will of its own. The last thing she was able to make out was the words "Thou, clad with the Great Trinity, come forth from the circle of constraint! Guardian of the Heavenly Scales!"

A bright light filled the room, forcing her to squeeze her eyes shut. When the flash died down, out of curiosity, she slowly rose her eyelids. The moment she did, the teen was frozen in both awe and confusion. Standing before her was a white haired young man wearing red robes containing gold trimming, with a white shirt and black pants and sandals. In his hands he wielded a long wooden staff. What had happened in those few seconds her mind blacked out? Why was there suddenly a strange boy before her?

The boy turned back toward the teenage girl, revealing his purple eyes.

He cocked his head to the side slightly "May I ask, are you my Master?"

"Ma-master?!" Tamiko stuttered in disbelief, confused as to how the boy even got in her home in the first place.

But before any more words could be shared, the sound of grunting could be heard. The two turned to see the red-haired woman slowly getting up and shoving boxes off of her body.  
The young man tightened his grip on his staff, prompting it to glow with energy.

"I have heard your call. You may call me Caster." he stated, readying his body into a fighting stance, "My staff shall serve as your protector from this point on. For fates our now intertwined, may our pact never be broken."

With the last of those words, he charged toward the red-head, managing to tackle her through the window with glass shattering.

Tamiko was left speechless. Sticking her head out of the window, she could see Caster was slamming his staff against the ground. The earth began to crack, creating red lines of energy. They surged forward, heading straight for the mysterious woman. The teen couldn't help but stare at the memorizing sight. She was only momentarily distracted from the fighting by the burning sensation on her left hand. Glancing down, much to her shock, the bruise was no longer there. Instead in its place was a strange red mark formed in two long curves with a circle in the center.

She had no time to ponder about the mark, the sound of a yell reaching her ears. With the lift of the head, the girl managed to see Caster slammed against the wall by the red-headed woman.  
The boy sucked in a sharp breath, tilting his head back to get distance from the tip of the spear that was now dangerously close to piercing his neck.

"Mister!" Tamiko called out in worry.

Without any kind of hesitation, she climbed out of the window, stumbling to find her footing.

The teen raced toward the two. Hazel eyes widened in panic when the red-head turned toward her, the weapon now pointing at her. There was no time to run, surely the lance would impale her if she tried to do so.

Suddenly, a voice shouted in a stern tone "Lancer, I command you to stop this instant!"

The woman clenched her teeth; her body freezing with a red glow. She struggled to move, resulting in a small amount of shaking.

"Mister or Cast-whatever!" Tamiko cried out once more, kneeling down before the white-haired teen, "Please tell me you're alright."

Caster glanced up at the ginger-haired girl with a nervous look before muttering in a quiet voice "I'm... I'm alright Master."

Tamiko tilted her head curiously. Moments ago, the strange boy showed confidence and determination; yet now he seemed shy and reluctant to talk. It was such a huge contrast that she couldn't help but find herself surprised. Pushing confusion aside, she directed her attention towards Lancer. It stunned her to see the woman had still not moved a single inch. She wondered the reason for this.

At that moment, a voice commented "Of all the people to be picked as a Master. You were the last person I ever wanted involved in this mess."

Lifting up her head, an audible gasp escaped from the teen. Approaching was none other than Saito, sporting a red mark on his hand.


	2. Chapter 2 - The Holy Grail War

Chapter 2

"Lancer, why the heck would you attack a bystander?! We only ended up here because we were chasing after Assassin!" Saito snapped whilst approaching the group.

Lancer humphed in annoyance, folding her arms over her chest as she finally regained control over her body.

"Well I had assumed the lassie to be Assassin's Master. With how the battle with Assassin was going, it was clear the better choice would be to take out her Master. After all, a defenseless prey is far easier to kill than that of one as sly as a fox." she remarked back, not bothering to hide the snarl that laced a few of her words.

"Well you were wrong. Now come on! We need to get Assassin before..." he began but cut himself off when he saw the retreating form of Assassin leaping onto the rooftop and dashing away, disappearing in the cover of darkness. With the target lost, the teenage boy groaned, pressing his hand up against his forehead. "...before she gets away." he finished with a grumble.

Tamiko was at a loss for words. Her mouth hung open as she glanced between the fiery red-head and the blue-haired teenage boy before her.

With her feelings coming to a boiling point, she finally demanded "Okay, what the heck is going on?! Saito-kun, is this what you've been involved in lately?!"

Saito turned with his brows raised in surprise. He understood the girl was rightfully confused with what she had witnessed, but at the same time he was annoyed.

"Sticking your nose in other people's problems as usual. Ugh, why do I have to be the one stuck in this situation?" he grumbled under his breath.

He let out a sigh before shoving past the teenage girl, sternly stating he would explain everything inside the house.  
Tamiko nervously watched the retreating form of the seventeen year-old. She flinched when she was once again caught under the cold gaze of Lancer. She didn't dare utter a word nor take eye contact off her retreating form. Only when Lancer was gone from sight did she finally release the breath she was holding. Turning back toward Caster, now that things had calmed, the two found themselves with no words to share.

She bit her lip nervously. She hadn't given it much thought during the midst of Lancer trying to kill her, but now she felt it extremely awkward to have a person view her as their Master. Seeing nothing else to do, she offered out her hand.  
Caster's purple eyes glanced down at the hand, managing to accept it without much hesitation. He grunted as he was pulled up to his feet by the teenage girl.

"So..." Tamiko began, the awkward atmosphere affecting her thought process, "I suppose we should head inside to hear Saito's explanation."

With the nod of the head, the two finally reentered the home. Inside they were greeted with Lancer leaning against the wall. Gone was her armor and dress, replaced with casual winter clothing.  
Lancer glanced back at the two with her blue eyes narrowed.

"He'll be back. Said he wanted to check the premise to ensure we truly are alone." she stated.

Tamiko's brow furrowed in worry, the anxiety of being left in the room with her attempted killer settling in. But among her anxiety was confusion as well; she could have sworn she wasn't outside for too long. So she couldn't figure out how Lancer managed to change her attire so quickly. She was awakened from her thoughts by Saito entering the living room, letting out a deep breath whilst doing so.

"No sign of any other Masters nor Servants nearby. So..." he started as he sat down at the table, "It's time I told you exactly what you're involved in now."

His eyes stared up expectantly at the teenage girl as he patted his hand on top of the table.  
Realizing Saito was telling her to sit down, she obeyed the request without any second thoughts. After all, she was eager for the answers to shatter the confusion filling her mind. She was about to open her mouth till she heard shuffling next to her. Turning her head, she seen Caster had sit down next to her. She nervously cleared her throat with a small blush on her face, reminding herself the nature of her relationship with Caster would be one she would have to get use to.

Brushing aside her flustered feelings, she finally asked "You mentioned something about wishing to defeat someone named Assassin. Why is that?"

Saito didn't reply immediately. Instead choosing to inhale deeply through his nose to keep his frustration in check.

After a few moments of gathering his thoughts, he answered "It's because Assassin is one of the seven Servants that have been summoned for the Holy Grail War."

"Holy Grail War?" Tamiko questioned.

Nodding his head, the blue-haired boy continued "It is an event that dates back to over two-hundred years ago. Seven Masters are chosen by the grail to do battle. Each master is given one Servant which are spirits from our past given form. The last Servant standing wins the right to the grail and one wish of course. This would make the sixth one in total. The fifth took place here ten years ago, but no one seems to know what conspired then as the events surrounding the Fifth Holy Grail War are shrouded in mystery."

"Wait, last one standing? You means the Servants have to..." the teenage girl began, but couldn't find the strength to finish her sentence.

The thought of white-haired teen who had saved her being summoned only to fight to the death was heartbreaking to her. Glancing over at Caster, she could see the hint of sadness lingering in his purple eyes. She had to wonder what it would feel like, being told your only duty was to put your life on the line for a stranger you barely know. Not because you trust them, but rather because it was a duty assigned to you.

She was drawn out of her thoughts out of her thoughts by the sound of Saito continuing to explain "Yes, Servants are expected to fight to the death. Though just because they are expected, doesn't mean they are willing to obey. Servants have thoughts and feelings like any other living being. That is why each Master is given these."

He paused to lift up his left hand, showing the red mark that look similar to a spear. While the rest mark was a deep red, the top part of the mark was faded.

"These are Command Spells. They are the proof of your status as a Master in this war." he stated before pointing his index finger to the faded part of his mark, "Each master is given three spells. These spells can be used to give specific commands to your servant. For example, I had used one to command Lancer to stop, so now I only have two Command Spells remaining."

He took a moment to glare over at his servant, still frustrated with her actions.  
Tamiko's hazel eyes glanced down at her own left hand. Carefully studying the mark, she was able to easily identify the three points that represented her Command Spells.

"Alright then," she began, her eyes glancing back up at the teenage boy, "What happens when you use up all three?"

Upon hearing this, Saito let out an annoyed sigh whilst pinching the bridge of his nose.

"Isn't it obvious? You lose your right as a Master and the pact with your servant is severed." he grumbled.

Lancer couldn't help but scoff at the sight before her, having grown tired of the countless questions.

"If the lassie is this confused, perhaps it will be best to let her be naive until she is slain by one of the other Masters." she commented with a deadly smirk.

Saito jolted in shock, staring at his servant with a mixture of disbelief and anger. He had hoped he could ease Tamiko into the fact that Servants could also be defeated by killing their Masters. Turning toward the ginger-headed girl he could see her face had lost all color and she was staring at him with wide, terrified eyes. It also didn't escape his attention that Caster was glaring daggers at him whilst moving closer to his Master should the need to protect her arise. Saito leaned his head back whilst rubbing his fingers against the temple of his forehead.

"Perfect Lancer, now she thinks I only told her all this stuff just so I can kill her." he noted sarcastically, letting out another tired sigh.

He remained silent for a few more moments before lowering his hands. His blue eyes were strict with a hint of sadness lingering beneath them.

"This tends to be the part I hate." he sighed, his voice taking on a more uncharacteristic softer tone, "A more preferred method of defeating Servants is by killing their Master. Why go through the trouble of defeating a challenging Servant when you can take out their Master and be done with it. There's also the fact that even with the Servant dead, if they come across a Servant who's pact has been severed, they can forge a new pact with that Servant."

Tamiko glanced down to the floor; her eyes filled with uncertainty.

"Just know that you don't have to do it. Just because it's the most efficient way doesn't mean it's the required way." he finished in a somber tone.

Seeing he had explained everything, he began to stand up. But as he did, he realized Caster was still in his current attire. He inhaled deeply through his nose, shaking his head whilst doing so.

"Caster, while I am not your Master, if you insist on staying out in the open, I suggest changing into more proper attire." he advised.

Caster blinked in surprise, taking a moment to glance down at his robes.

"I suppose you're right. I'll change clothes immediately." he replied as he stood up.

Upon hearing this, Tamiko's face turned blood red in panic. She immediately began shouting out a series of objections, trying desperately to prevent her servant from changing right in front her. Though much to her surprise, the white-haired boy closed his eyes as his clothes were engulfed in a blue light. The light faded away in seconds, revealing a casual attire of a white shirt and black pants. She stared unblinkingly in shock, reaching a hand out and tugging on the button of the shirt to confirm its existence. She only stopped when she noticed the confused expression painted on Caster's face.

"Well my job here is done." Saito spoke up, shattering the silence filling the air, "Let's go Lancer."

The woman with auburn hair nodded her head in agreement, silently following her Master out of the house. Once outside, her eyes narrowed at the teenage boy.

"Why are you so insistent on protecting that lassie?" she asked, prompting the teen to stop in his tracks, "If you had let me taken her out, we would have had one less Master and Servant to deal with."

Saito's body tensed at the question. It was true if he had allowed his servant to kill Tamiko, his competition for the grail would have been lessened. But he couldn't accept victory in that form; he didn't want to accept it in that form.

Taking in another deep breath, he finally replied "It wouldn't be right. She was dragged into a situation she knows little to nothing about. It just wouldn't be the honorable thing to do. Not that you would know anything about honor."

Lancer didn't fail to miss the boy's final remark. A snarky smirk spread across her face.

"Though my tactics are crude, they are still very effective. Regardless of your feelings, you will have to face her eventually. There can be only one winner in this Holy Grail War after all." she remarked, "Sides don't tell me you actually think she's harmless. You weren't there when she summoned her servant. She had this soulless gaze in her eyes. The lassie isn't what she appears to be, there's something off about her."

Saito chose not to reply, allowing silence to fill the air as he made his trek home along with his servant.

Back with Tamiko, she let out a sigh with her head leaned back.

"Well I guess we should get things straightened out before-" she began.

But she was never able to finish when she heard the exclamation of "What happened to the house?!"

Flinching, the ginger-haired girl slowly turned to see the horrified forms of Ken and Makoto. She whimpered with her head hanging low, wishing Saito was still there to help her come up with an excuse. After the father and son duo had calmed down, her mind desperately scrapped for any kind of excuse. After a few seconds of thinking, she finally came up with the claim that a thief had broken in and she was protected by Caster who happened to arrive in time. A partial lie, but she was convinced the two would never believe the truth of the situation.

"Caster? Such a strange name." the dark-haired man mused before smiling, "Well I'm glad you were here to protect Tamiko. Meanwhile I was unable to be there myself, all because I got stuck with repairing a flat tire. As her guardian I tend to care for her, she's practically like family. So once again I thank you."

Caster nervously glanced to the ground, trying to find the words to say.

"By the way, there's something else you should know about Caster." Tamiko spoke up; she wasn't sure how the older man would react to her following statement, but she managed to take deep breath and continued "Caster will actually be living with us."

Ken said nothing as the kind smile on his face immediately vanished.

Upon hearing this Makoto exclaimed "Oh no, it's actually happened dad! She brought home a boyfriend that she wants to live with her!"

The ginger-haired girl's face turn blood red in embarrassment and panic. She could already sense Ken's strict gaze on her servant who seemed to cower slightly from it.

"Caster is not my boyfriend, he's just a guy that will be living with us! That is all!" she claimed, her face burning brightly red.

Silence lingered in the air for a few moments, creating an awkward and tense atmosphere.

A few more minutes of silence managed to pass by until the young child shattered it by muttering "Sounds like a boyfriend to me."

In that instant Tamiko had to use all her willpower from attempting to strangle the boy out of frustration. Instead she opted to groan and plant her head down on the table, wondering how she managed to get herself wrapped up in such a situation.

Later that night, Tamiko huffed as she managed to roll out a spare futon for Caster in the guest room. She wasn't too sure if Servants truly required rest, but still wanted to make the white-haired teen as comfortable as possible. Admiring her handiwork, she turned toward Caster who was sitting in the corner of the room. With a smile, she managed to bid him goodnight.

Though as she turned to walk away, she heard a voice call out "Tamiko?"

The teenage girl's eye widened as she spun around to the white-haired boy.

Noticing his master's distress, Caster nervously asked "Is... is it alright if I call you... Tamiko? Your um... guardian called you that. If not, I can just keep referring to you as Master."

Tamiko was speechless. Usually first name basis were only reserved for family or close loved ones in Japan. The fact Caster requested to call her by her first name was slightly jarring for her, especially since she barely knew him. Yet at the same time, she could understand why he requested it. He had yet to hear her surname and referring her by a name seemed better than constantly calling her Master. Taking a few seconds in thought, a small smile spread on her face.

"Of course it's alright. We'll be working together from now on, so I think it will be alright if you call me Tamiko." she replied.

Caster briefly returned the smile, though it quickly faded as he glanced downward, nervously rubbing his arm.

"I... I suppose you'll be wanting to know my true name." he noted with a few pauses, "Servants conceal their true names as their identities can also reveal potential weaknesses."

The seventeen year-old raised her brow in interest. Much like Ken, she had considered Caster to be quite the strange name. Though not once did she ever consider it could be merely a code name. Her brows furrowed as she went deep into thought. Ideally she could she the advantages of knowing her servant's true name, that way she can ensure he doesn't encounter his weaknesses. Yet at the same time, carrying such knowledge worried her. The thought of being captured by the enemy and them forcing the information out of her came to mind.

Having thought it over, she declined the offer with the shake of her head. She never wanted to put Caster in a situation that could endanger himself. While it was his duty to protect her, she couldn't stand the thought of placing all the burdens of the Holy Grail War on him. Because of this mindset, she believed it would be in their best interest that even she remain ignorant to his true identity.

"Caster, I want to make something clear right now." she stated as she knelt down in front of him, "Despite me being your Master, I don't want you to view me as your superior."

She paused as she carefully took the teen's hand into her own.

"I want us to be equals. Partners you could say rather than Master and Servant. I don't want you to pointlessly throw your life away for me all because of a role. Your survival in this war is just important as mine. It would never sit well with me to put my safety before yours or anyone else's for that matter." she finished.

Caster's mouth opened slightly in awe. The girl's kindness and concern for a stranger's well-being certainly was touching. Though at the same time, such a mindset worried him. He could easily see anyone taking advantage of her kindness, abusing it for their own gain. While he never wanted to do such a thing, the thought of someone wishing to do exactly that concerned him. But despite this, he couldn't complain too much, recalling it was through the kindness of strangers he had became who he was in the first place. With this in mind, he smiled as his intertwined hands slightly tightened around his Master's.

"Of course, Tamiko. I will do my best." he replied, the shyness long gone with each of his words brimming with confidence.

Tamiko sighed in relief; her hands silently slipping away from the teenage boy's.

"Well I'll be going to bed now. Rest well, Caster." she said as she stood up.

Caster nodded his head before watching the teen leave the room. With her gone, he silently glanced down at his hands. How long had it been since he had someone treat him with such kindness; he could not remember. His body tensed as he recalled how he spent the final moments of his life alone, no friends nor loved ones by his side. Because of this, he wanted to cherish this kindness for as long as he could. A small grateful smile graced his face as he laid down on the futon, ready to preserve his mana. He would not let his Master's kindness go unpaid. No matter what, he swore to protect her. Not as a Servant but rather a grateful boy who had yearned for kindness after discarding it to fulfill his duty.


	3. Chapter 3 - Archer

**To clarify things now Archer (Emiya) shall be referred to by his name in this story. This is as to not cause confusion since the archer that has been summoned for the War shall take up the namesake.**

 **So to repeat Archer (Emiya) = Emiya, Archer (OC) = Archer**

Chapter 3

He took in a deep breath as he felt his form come into existence. A dark skinned man with white hair opened his dark gray eyes. Before him he could see the city of Fuyuki. A ghost of a smile formed on his face for a few seconds before he stood up, the tail of his red coat softly billowing in the wind.

"So, I'm back here." he noted to himself.

 _"I hope you haven't forgotten exactly why you've been summoned to this era."_ he heard a voice say.

He sighed with his eyes narrowed.

"Of course I haven't. Eliminate the anomaly, prevent humanity's destruction. Otherwise I would have been simply summoned as one of the seven Servants." he replied in a stern tone.

He was no stranger to the rules of a Holy Grail War. Not only because of it being a set of rules ingrained into the minds of every Heroic Spirit upon their creation, but also because he had personally participated in one during in his lifetime. Memories that were a blur among his eternity of slaughter, yet had a few clear details. One such being the memory of bright blonde hair and kind green eyes, and the other of a man crying tears of joy with a smile.

 _"Exactly. This anomaly is dangerous as humanity's end has already passed in the timeline of its origins and it seeks to bring the same results to more, starting with this one. This is why you've been given your memories of the Fifth Holy Grail War in this timeline. This mission requires your complete understanding of this timeline."_ the voice replied, drawing him out of his thoughts.

The white-haired man hummed in response. He had been curious why the memories meant to be erased had been returned to him. As per the rules, to avoid contradictions, Servants participating in the Holy Grail War would have their memories erased of the event. He had wondered why his duty as a Counter Guardian no longer seemed to plagued him as they once did; why he felt strangely more accepting and peaceful of his fate. It wasn't until he regained the memories of a fateful battle with a boy with bright red hair did he finally understand the reason why.

 _"I hope I've given you everything you'll need to track down the anomaly."_ the voice asked, drawing the man out of his thoughts once again.

"Of course. Locate and take out the anomaly before any damage could be done. Considering you've already even given me a name and description, this anomaly should be easy to track down." he responded.

Silence lingered in the air around him; all he could hear is the amused giggling in his mind.

 _"I knew I was right to select you for this job my ever loyal Counter Guardian. Do not let me down, Emiya."_ the voice said in a delightful tone.

Emiya huffed with his eyes closed. Seeing he had nothing else to do, he decided to scout the city. Dematerializing his body, he considered searching for a tall building. With a high vantage point, he could utilize his skill Clairvoyance to the fullest. But he managed to pause at the idea, giving the thought of searching on foot. Even with his memories as a Servant in the War given to him, his own memories prior to becoming a Servant were still quite a blur. Curious to see the place he once called home, he made his final decision, he would scout the city on foot first.

His movement was silent as he stepped onto one of the sidewalks. His presence unnoticed by the people traversing the city, some walking past him and even some unknowingly walking through him. He couldn't explain it, but the sight of the busy city tugged at the back of his mind. His brows furrowed as he managed to stop in front of a cafe. He glanced through the window, seeing people chatting happily among themselves whilst eating and drinking. In that instant, an image filled his mind. He could remember a girl with dark hair pulled into twin tails, a determined glint in her blue eyes as she pointed out areas on the map of the city.

Without even realized it, a single word slipped from his mouth and that was "Rin."

A woman who had been walking by instantly spun around, startled by the mysterious voice. Upon hearing this, Emiya slapped his hand over his mouth. He had forgotten that despite being practically invisible to the world, he could still be heard. Wasting no time, he quickly took off, reminding himself he had no luxury of standing around. He was summoned with one purpose and that he had no choice but to fulfill that purpose. Slowing to stop, he found himself standing on a familiar bridge. The sight was vaguely familiar to him. A single bridge crossing over the highway, barely lit by the nearby lampposts.

His teeth clenched tightly as he eyes squeezed shut in focus. Slowly, but surely, the memory came to him. It had still been cold out and he was still dressed in his school uniform with a scarf firmly wrapped around his neck. His mind had been full of thoughts at the time, reminding himself of his goal. Pausing in his steps, he gazed upwards, finding himself staring into a pair of stern yet worried blue eyes. Emiya's face softened as opened his eyes and found himself staring up at that very same building. What he had recalled was not from his time as a Servant, but rather when he still a young naive yet hopeful young boy.

 _"Right, how his war started was near identical to mine. Though I don't believe her Archer was me. Then again, at this point my memories of that time are a blur."_ he thought to himself.

Feeling rather nostalgic, he made his way over to the building. It didn't take long for him to reach the rooftop. Once there, he finally materialized his body. He nearly took in a deep breath at feeling the wind against his body. It truly had felt like that night with her. He could clearly picture the teenage girl standing at the edge of the rooftop with her head tilted slightly back toward him with a smile. Without a word, he walked over to the very same spot from his memories. His lips pressed tightly together as he found himself gazing down on upon the city. It was strange how a place he grew up in could seem both familiar and foreign. Looking back at his memories of the fifth Holy Grail War, even those seemed like a strange far away dream.

Suddenly, the sound of a click snapped him out of his thoughts. Acting fast, he managed to dodge a magical bullet that had been aimed at his head by quickly ducking down. Spinning around, he was greeted with the sight of man with brown hair pulled into a ponytail perched on top of the building's antennae. Studying the man, he noticed his attire was foreign. Dressed in a long brown coat with tassels; accompanied by a dirty white shirt, black pants, long brown boots, and a coonskin hat. In his hands he wielded a long brown rifle.

"Tch, thought you wouldn't have noticed me so soon." the man smirked as he rested his rifle against his shoulder, "Those reflexes seemed too quick for that of a Rider or a Saber. So I'm going to guess you're either Lancer or Assassin."

Narrowing his eyes, Emiya stood his ground. His hands were open and relaxed, ready to bring out his blades.

"So, am I to assume that you are one of the seven Servants?" he questioned, not moving a single inch to give away any signs of attack, "If so, what Servant would you be?"

The man's smirk grew slightly as he replied "Well, I'm not really too keen on specifying exactly who I am. Too famous for my own good. So for now, you can just call me Archer."

The white-haired man found it amusing to hear that name and it not be referring to him. It served as yet another reminder of his mission. Though admittedly, a part of him was intrigued to be summoned in the middle of a Holy Grail War. In the past, he needed not to be concerned with potential opponents. But by being in the Holy Grail War, he had to deal with seven Servants that would mistake him as one of the competitors, just like Archer had did. He couldn't help but chuckle slightly at this thought.

 _"This will certainly prove to be interesting."_ he thought with a grin.

"And what of you?" Archer spoke up as he readied his rifle, his fingers trailing dangerously close to the trigger, "What Servant might you be?"

Taking only a few seconds to think of an answer, Emiya replied "I think I'll just leave you to figure that out."

With that said, the fight finally began. Archer quickly spun his rifle into firing position, taking a few quick shots. His teeth clenched upon watching his opponent jump to the side as the bullets were only mere inches from hitting his torso, dodging with ease. It was clear to him the mysterious servant was too swift to be hit by simple fire, meaning he need to anticipate his movement. As long as he kept his distance, he should be able to retain the advantage.  
Emiya kept his eyes trained on the enemy Servant. As a fellow archer, he could see the Servant was trying to keep his distance. If he wanted to win, he need to get in close.

Taking in a deep breath, he projected his two blades as he charged toward his opponent. The only sounds pounding in his ears was the rapid footfalls from his running and the rifle firing three rounds in quick succession. Convinced his opponent had aimed at him, he jerked to the right. But upon doing this, his teeth clenched as the three bullets managed to graze his shoulder. He took a quick glance at his shoulder, seeing the red cloth of his coat slightly torn with a bit of blood seeping from three scratches. It was clear to him that Archer was no longer aiming for him, but rather predicting his movement, a skill he seemed to be quite skilled at. Directing his gaze back up toward the Servant, he watched as the man swiftly cocked his rifle. If he wanted to defeat Archer, he needed to get up close and fast.

Willing his body to move faster, he lowered his body into a crouch before jumping up in the air, launching his entire body toward the brunette. He smirked when he saw the man's face paled in panic, his rifle slightly lowering from its firing position. With his body approaching at top speeds, Archer would have no time to fire his rifle in retaliation. Now within striking distance, one hand readied his sword while the other reached out to grab a hold of the antennae. Time seemed to freeze as he brought down his sword. But much to his surprise, Archer managed to block the blow with his rifle. He raised a brow in intrigue as his free hand had tightened around one of the many bars that made up the antennae. He could see he was only half right with his assumption that the man would be left defenseless with close combat.

"Using your rifle as a club, wasn't expecting that." he commented, pressing his blade down a little harder against the rilfe.

Through grit teeth, using all his strength to force the blade back inch by inch, the rifleman replied "Well when you're backed into a corner by the enemy, you use what you have on hand."

Wanting to make distance, Archer shoved his rifle against the sword. The rifle easily pushed up against the blade, firmly pressing it against his attacker's chest. The force of the push prompted his opponent back stumbling, his footing slipping as he desperately gripped onto the radio antenna's bar to prevent falling. Having created enough space between them, he quickly jumped down. As he fell toward the rooftop, he twisted his body around where he was facing upwards. He narrowed his eyes in focus, aiming his rifle with ease as the winds whipped around his body. Without any hesitation he fired up at the man in red.  
Acting fast, Emiya launched himself off the radio antennae, successfully dodging the bullet. Opting for a change of tactics, he dismissed his blades, bringing out his black bow.

Archer's eyes widened in disbelief. After he had seen the man's twin blades, he had been certain he was the Assassin Class Servant. But now seeing that very same man summon a bow, he could see his opponent was from the Archer Class. This revelation filled him with confusion. It was impossible for two Servants of the same class to be summoned in the Holy Grail War, leaving him to wonder exactly why the archer before him had been summoned. He was snapped out of his thoughts when he saw Emiya pull back his bow, already armed with a silver arrow.

His breath hitched when he saw the archer release the arrow before quickly arming himself with another one and firing it as well, repeating the process with inhuman speed. His opponent managed to do all this despite his body plummeting toward the roof at top speeds like him. Acting out of desperation, he twisted his body, turning his fall into a spin toward the rooftop. He could feel the small rush of wind as the arrows flew past his body. Noticing the solid ground quickly approaching, he began to turn his body to land on his feet. But upon doing this, three arrows managed to pierce his right shoulder. He cried out in pain, his body tumbling on the rooftop, blood seeping from his fresh wounds. His shoulder ached in pain, but he ignored it as he pushed himself to his knees. Baring his teeth, he grabbed ahold of the arrows and yanked them out of his shoulder. His breath was heavy and ragged as he forced himself to his feet, glaring at the Servant successfully landing on his feet not too far from him.

"I have to say," he began as he cocked his rifle, "I'm completely surprised at how wrong I was. There's no way you're one of the seven, I am the summoned Archer after all. So if you haven't been summoned for the War, what is precisely your purpose?"

Emiya only smirked as he readied another arrow, replying "As I said before, I would prefer to leave you guessing."

Neither intending to give the other side time to react, the two archers immediately started firing projectiles at each other. Both moved in sync, mirroring their counterpart's movement as they ran in a circle. Archer fired his gun once, hissing in pain when it had banged against his injured shoulder. Brown eyes intensely glared at his opponent, prompting him to fire another round. Emiya clenched his teeth when he felt the bullet pierce his side. But this did not stop him as he readied another arrow. Continuing to mirror the other's movement, they noticed two ventilation shafts placed across from each other. Wasting no time, the two rolled on the ground, allowing their bodies to tumble behind the structures as arrows and bullets flew past them respectively.  
Archer took in deep breaths with his back pressed up against the ventilation shaft, trying to bare through the pain of his wounded shoulder.

He was snapped out of his thoughts by a voice exclaiming in his mind _"Archer, what is going on?! I thought you said the task would be fast and easy."_

The rifleman chuckled as he cautiously poked his head out from his cover. He quickly pulled back as the arrow grazed his cheek, leaving a small bleeding scratch.

"Well to be honest I wasn't counting on the enemy Servant to notice me. Turns out this guy not only is good about spotting danger, he's not even one of the seven Servants. We both know there can't be two summoned Archer Class Servants." he replied.

His attention was quickly gained by the sound of energy charging up. Tilting his head upwards, he could see Emiya had leapt over him with his bow aimed directly at him. Yet much to his horror, he was not releasing an arrow from his bow, but rather a large sword. Using all his energy, his foot shoved against the ventilation shaft, lunging forward for safety. The sword slammed against the ground, creating a large explosion. He could feel his back burn from the energy, his body only mere centimeters from the explosion's range. The force of the blast sent his body tumbling right near to the edge of the roof.

 _"Damn it."_ the voice hissed out of frustration, " _Archer, I command you to get out of there alive!"_

Archer grunted as his body briefly glowed red. It was clear his Master didn't want to lose him so early on in the War, even willing to use a Command Spell to do so. With no choice but to obey the command, he got on his feet as his body began to glow gold with energy.

"Might as well try to ensure you can't follow me. It's risky, but this is a do or die situation." he muttered under his breath.

Emiya's body stiffened in anticipation, quickly banishing his bow. He knew instantly what the enemy Servant was intending to do. With no time to take cover, he readied for the attack by holding out his right hand and steadying his feet.

"By the might of my spirit, grant me this strength." Archer chanted as his rifle began to glow white, "For shall I either claim victory in this plight or die on this very spot. For this shall be my..."

Knowing he needed to act fast, Emiya began to chant "I am the bone of my sword."

In a split second, the rifleman snapped open his eyes as he yelled " **Last Stand!** "

Within a blink of an eye, the rifle blasted of hundreds of small blasts of magic in quick succession. The bullets hovered in midair, each one place in a perfect circle that entrapped the man in red. With a burst of light, the bullets flew at top speeds toward their target.  
With clenched teeth Emiya shouted out " **Rho Aias!** ", summoning a magical flower shaped shield with seven layers. The bullets was causing his vision to be filled with a bright light, preventing him from seeing where they were coming from. Relying on his hearing, the whistling sound of the speeding bullets reached his ears. He quickly twisted his torso, facing toward the approaching bullets. He kept twisting and turning, rapidly deflecting the bullets with his shield. He could feel the magical blasts beating away at the shield, creating a few cracks but not pushing it toward breaking point.

As the seconds passed by, he could feel his energy rapidly dropping. With the dropping of his energy, his movements began to become sluggish. He tried to turn to face ten incoming magical bullets, but he had been too slow to block them. He cried out in pain as the bullets dug into his ribs and right arm, creating bleeding wounds. His aches begged him to stop, but he couldn't. Pushing past the pain, he managed to turn to his left, blocking four more bullets. He could only hope the assault managed to end before his energy ran out. Much to his relief, the barrage ended within seconds.

The white-haired man took in deep breaths, allowing his arm to drop by his side. Looking around at his surroundings, he couldn't see any signs of Archer. A bitter chuckle managed to escape his mouth despite the aches of his wounds.

"Using a Noble Phantasm to make an escape. He either has guts or is really stupid to do something so risky." he muttered, placing his hand over the wounds in his ribs.

He couldn't help but let out an annoyed sigh at his predicament. He couldn't search for the anomaly in an injured state, leaving him with no choice to set up a base of operations for the time being. He doubted Rin's home was an option, believing she had cleared out the home long ago with her belongings. That only left him with one option. Hoping his memories were correct, he jumped off the building and dematerialized his body.

The trip managed to take quite a few minutes; the archer slightly slowed down by his injuries. But nonetheless, he finally reached a household he knew far too well, the Emiya residence. His gray eyes softened slightly at the sight of his old home. Shoving his thoughts aside, he made his way over to the sliding doors. He didn't care if his past self was at home, intending to choose to explain himself after he's treated his wounds. But once inside, much to his surprise, no one was home.

"Hmm, given how well I know myself, he's most likely traveling. Suppose this works out for me." he muttered with a slight grin.

While he had accepted his past self for pursuing his ideals, he would be lying if he claimed the red-head didn't slightly annoy him with his stubbornness. Taking full advantage of the house's vacancy, he made his way to where he remembered his old room was. Emiya sat down on the floor, stripping off the top part of his cloak and his armor. With his top half bare, he could see the burn marks that littered his arms and sides. Much to his luck, they were minor wounds that could easily be dealt with.

Taking a deep breath, his hand hovered over the wounds in his ribs. He began gathering up the mana in his surroundings. A pained hiss managed to escape his mouth whilst the healing magic took effect, slowly closing up the wounds. He managed to bare through the pain, healing every single wound on his body. By the time he was finished, he was left breathless, collapsing onto his futon out of exhaustion.

"Having to use Rho Aias took a lot out of me. I'm lucky I still had enough energy to heal." he thought out loud.

His brows furrowed together as his thoughts drifted to his mission. He had still yet to locate the anomaly that threatened humanity. While he knew it was important to locate it as soon a possible, at the same time he understood he wouldn't even be able to eliminate it without the required energy.

After giving it much thought, he finally allowed his eyes to slide close whilst muttering "Tch, the World can wait a bit longer."

With those last words, his body and mind instantly fell into slumber.

Back with Archer, he managed to stumble into one of the open windows of an apartment building. His energy completely spent, he slid down to the floor whilst weakly clutching his still bleeding shoulder. The thoughts of the mysterious archer kept racing through his mind. He didn't seem to pick up on any hints that could lead him to the white-haired man's identity. In fact, he only grew more confused when he witnessed the Servant wield a Noble Phantasm belonging to that of another Heroic Spirit. His mind recalled the mysterious man's words, the wish of remaining anonymous.

"Just who was that guy?" he finally asked himself out loud.

He was stirred out of his thoughts by a voice speaking up "I see you managed to make it back alive."

Lifting his head up, Archer could see his Master standing across from him. His brown eyes briefly glanced to the Command Spells, three red slashes, spanning across the man's right arm. It didn't escape his attention the top slash was now faded.

"Well of course I made it back alive." he replied with a chuckle, pausing to slightly wince in pain before continuing, "You commanded me to do so via Command Spell."

His Master remained silent, taking a moment to study his arm before lowering it.

"So, based on your earlier comment, I'm assuming you had no idea who that servant was." he commented.

Archer shook his head, hissing slightly as he felt his Master's mana begin to heal his wounds. He remained silent as he watched his Master let out a frustrated sigh whilst placing his hands behind his head. He could see the revelation of a mysterious eighth Servant disturbed the man before him deeply. He remained silent, working on healing his wounds, barely noticing his Master who began to pace in thought.

He only stopped his actions when he heard his Master finally say "Well based on the fact you barely escaped with your life, it's safe to say this Servant is strong, especially for an Archer Class Servant. It would be in our best interest to steer clear of him. We can't afford to have you die, especially when the Holy Grail War has barely begun."

The rifleman hummed in response, managing to heal up the last of his wounds. He grunted as he pushed himself to his feet and leaned against the wall.

"I agree Master, but what if should this nameless archer encounter any of the other Servants?" he questioned.

Upon hearing this, a chuckle rumbled forth from the man's throat, a chuckle that slightly unnerved Archer. His eyes twinkling with cunning and a hint of mischievousness.

"The answer is simple, Archer." he grinned, cocking his head slightly to the side "We just stay out of the conflict and let the other Servants deal with him. If he manages to kill a few of them, that means we'll have less competition for the Grail. If he manages to get killed, we'll no longer have to worry about him as a threat to our chances of winning. The way I see this situation, it's a win-win scenario for us."

Archer did not reply to his Master's plans, not surprised his Master would prefer to lay back and watch other Servants fight before claiming victory. After all, his Master was quite the laid back type of guy. While he acknowledged it was a wise plan, he wasn't sure if it was alright to sacrifice the other Servants for seemingly a selfish cause. His eyes closed as he allowed his conflicted thoughts to bubble within him. After a few seconds, he opened his eyes. Leaning his head against the wall, he found himself agreeing to the plan. It was a smart plan that nearly guaranteed victory for the future, and it was a plan he hated himself for accepting.


	4. Chapter 4 - Breakfast

Chapter 4

Tamiko mumbled as she shifted under her blankets, feeling the warmth of daylight run over her face. She let out a small yawn before slowly opening her eyes. Yet when she opened them, she found herself staring into a pair of purple eyes. She yelped as she jerked up in surprise; her head nearly colliding into her Servant's. Her face was beaming red in embarrassment, taking note of how the teenage boy was leaning over her with his hands firmly planted at her sides.

"Caster, what are you doing?!" she said as both a question and exclamation.

Seeing his Master was awake, he leaned back onto his haunches.

"Your... guardian told me to wake you up." he nervously confessed, his eyes struggling to maintain eye contact, "He said... he said you would be late for school."

In that instant, all of Tamiko's embarrassment had been forgotten, replaced with panic. She threw her blanket off to the side and jumped to her feet. Grabbing a hold of Caster's shoulders, she flipped around the teen and shoved him toward the sliding doors. She barely noticed the confused look plastered on his face or the fact his heels were dragging across the wooden floor. In the mere passing of seconds, she shoved him through the open sliding doors and slammed them closed behind him.  
Caster was only able to blink in shock, trying to comprehend what he has witnessed. One second the girl was tired, the next second she seemed to have the energy of a hyper rabbit. It was a strange shift in attitude, one akin to his own.

Seeing he could do nothing as his Master dressed, he headed toward the living room. The smell of eggs being cooked filled the air. Curious of the origin of the scent, he leaned over the counter separating the living room from the kitchen. Having done so gave him a clear view of the stove and counters neatly tucked away in the corner. He could see Ken humming slightly, cracking two eggs in his hand against the pan being held by his other. He couldn't help but lick his lips slightly whilst watching the man cook; never had he smelled something so delicious in all his life.  
Having sensed a gaze being burned into his back, Ken turned around to see Caster leaning far over the counter, almost about to slip over and off of it.

He chuckled, warning as he turned back to his cooking "Careful Caster-san, don't want to give yourself a head injury do you?"

Taking note of how far he was leaning over the counter, the teenage boy blushed as he leaned back slightly, but made sure his head could still peer into the kitchen.

"What are you making?" he inquired.

"Omelets. Both Makoto and Tamiko love them." Ken replied, tossing the egg shells in the trash before gesturing toward the living room, "Take a seat at the table and I'll fix you a plate as well."

Caster's face grew redder, growing more shy. Receiving kindness from complete strangers still managed to deeply touch his heart; a heart that desperately yearned for it.

"You... you don't... have to do that." he muttered nervously; his purple eyes gazing toward the floor.

Ken peered back at the shy boy, a smile spread across his lips as he replied "Nonsense, you're a guest in our home after all. So it's only fair I cook for you as well."

Upon hearing this, the teenager's eyes darted up in shock. Very slowly, a small smile crept on his face. He could see where Tamiko had gotten her kind nature from, it was only natural that she would pick it up from her guardian. With his smile never leaving his face, he pushed back from the counter and walked over to the table. Kneeling down onto one of the cushions, he could see Makoto playing on a handheld console. He was about to question what the boy was playing till he felt the cushions next to him shift a bit.

Turning his head to the right, he saw Tamiko now dressed in her school uniform sitting down next to him. He watched as the teenage girl smoothed out her skirt before turning to him with a small grin.

"I just realized this will be the first time you'll get to try out Uncle Ken's cooking." she stated happily, but that grin was quickly replaced with brows furrowed in confusion as she asked, "Wait, do Servants need to eat food? Saito didn't really explain what exactly a Servant requires."

Caster nervously rubbed the back of his neck as he answered "Well technically I don't require food. Servants only require mana from their Masters to survive as it acts as our energy source and even heals wounds we've received unless they are fatal ones. But despite that, I am interested in trying your guardian's cooking."

This revelation intrigued the ginger-haired girl; she had no idea what mana was. She found herself puzzled. She couldn't explain why she found mana's existence intriguing rather than confusing. She didn't know why, but it felt like she had already known about it, like it was a thought in the back of her mind. Her brows furrowed even more in thought. But before she could delve deeper into her own personal mystery, she was stirred from her thoughts from the sound a glass plate clanking on the table.

She rapidly blinked her hazel eyes, seeing Ken lay out the finished omelets before them. With her thoughts of confusion forgotten, she eagerly dug into her breakfast with her knife and fork.  
Caster was surprised by the teen's ravenous appetite. He had to wonder how good the man's cooking was to make his Master shoving fork full by fork full of food into her mouth at near inhuman speeds. Deciding to gain answers, he jabbed his fork into the omelet and cut off a piece for himself.

He lifted the fork up to his face, seeing the small steam coming off the delicacy. He only took a moment to stare at it before placing it in his mouth. His eyes widened as his taste buds were greeted with a burst of flavor, a nice mixture of oils bringing out the egg's flavor to the point it felt like it was melting on his tongue. Eagerly he cut off another piece, much bigger than the previous, and shoved it into his mouth.

"Taste good?" Ken questioned as he sat down at the table.

With his mouth full of food, Caster rapidly nodded his head.

"Good to hear." the man with the goatee replied, chuckling sightly as he continued, "Picked up the recipe from my boss. She was pretty much spoiled by her husband's cooking and tried to make me replicate his dishes. Never could come close though."

Tamiko paused in her eating, tilting her head in curiosity. She knew the older man had a job, but she never did ask exactly what that job was. The thought crossed her mind that her guardian could be a chef. Though she quickly discarded that thought, as she hadn't heard of any claims of Ken being seen in a cafe nor restaurant.

Noticing the girl had paused in her eating, Ken cleared his throat before stating "Tamiko, you should hurry otherwise you and your friend are going to be late for school."

Upon hearing this, the teenage girl's face paled in panic. Her mouth hung open, nervously glancing over at the white-haired teen still happily eating his breakfast. There was no doubt in her mind that people would ask questions if she brought the boy to school. Yet at the same time, she did need the Servant by her side, especially after Saito had warned her about the other Servants. Letting out a small sigh, she finally returned to eating her breakfast. If she was going to survive with war alongside with Caster, she needed a battle plan.

Meanwhile, in the Saito household, Saito lay in his bed with his already closed eyelids squeezed tightly. A thin layer of sweat covered his entire body whilst he twisted in discomfort. In his dreams he could see nothing, his vision was filled with black smoke. The smell of rotten, burning flesh filled his nose, causing him cough and gag. He could feel fire amber licking at his skin, burning him with the blistering heat. In his ears rang the pained screams of a woman. He frantically turned his head left and right. Blindly stumbling with his hands held out in front of him, he walked through the smoke, trying to follow the sounds of the screams.

His hands twitched in the scorching heat, aching with the pain of burns. But despite this, he kept walking forward. Finally after taking a few more steps, his hand pressed against something wooden. Blinking away the tears out of his reddened eyes, he could see his hand was resting against a ladder. The woman's screams was now blaring in his ears right above him. Without any hesitation, he tilted his head upward. But once he did, his heart stopped in horror. Above him was a woman stripped of her clothing and her limbs were tied to the ladder. Her stomach had been cut open for disembowelment and the source of her screams was none other than from her strewn out innards being burned before her whilst she was still alive.

In that split second, Saito finally awoke. He sucked in a sharp breath, his blue eyes wide in a panic. Clearly shaken from his dream he tried to get out of his bed. But his limbs ended up tangled up in the sheets, resulting in him crashing to the wooden floor with a resounding bang. He groaned as his head ached and throbbed, unable to hear the rapidly approaching footfalls nor the door to his room being slammed open.

Lancer's eyes were filled with rage and determination, one hand pressed firmly against the door whilst her other tightly gripped her spear. She could see the seventeen year-old sprawled on the floor with his body lightly trembling. She stomped across the room, flinging open the window, allowing the streams of daylight to leak through it. Her eyes carefully scanned the surroundings. She saw no signs of any attackers, only a few students on their way to school staring confusingly up at her from the bottom of the two-story house. In response, she narrowed her eyes before slamming the window closed.

"Honestly Master, do not raise false alarms." she grumbled as she made her spear disappear, "I had thought you had been attacked by an enemy Master in your sleep."

As the last remnants of the dream faded away, Saito let out a shaky sigh. Untangling the sheets from his legs he paused when he noticed his chest. His family's magic crest, a series of cyan lines formed in intricate sharp curves spanning across his entire chest, stopping at the top of his navel and reaching up all the way to his neck; they were glowing softly as mana rushed through them. He raised a brow in confusion before taking in a deep breath, closing off the mana flow and willing the marks of his crest to fade away. Silently he glanced over at Lancer to see her angrily picking up the pillows that had fallen onto the floor and slamming them back down on the bed.

Wanting to confirm his suspicions he asked "Lancer, Masters can gain glimpses into their Servant's memories in the forms of dreams. What I ended up seeing, is that how you died?"

The red-headed woman's body stiffened. She didn't utter a reply as she walked over to him and began picking up the sheets off the floor. She refused to allow the teen to peer into her eyes, drooping her head low enough that her hair concealed her face.  
Seeing he wasn't getting an answer, Saito narrowed his eyes in frustration as the woman turned away from him.

"Lancer, I don't know why you won't trust me. You haven't even told me your true name. I know what I saw was your past, the fact my family's crest was visible was proof of that as it can only be seen when mana is flowing through it. So why won't you confess to the obvious?" he demanded in a stern tone.

Little to his surprise, his words prompted his servant to quickly turn on her heel, fury burning in her blue eyes.

"Listen here boy," she sneered, bending over where her face was mere inches from his, "you may be my Master, but that doesn't mean you have my trust. I won't let my guard down for anyone, not even you. Letting my guard down is what got me killed in the first place, I refuse to make that mistake again."

The two glared at each other in anger, the silence around them practically deafening. Finally Lancer sighed in frustration, standing up to her full height.

"I'll be out on watch. You better get dressed and fed unless you want to make others at school even more suspicious. There's already enough rumors about us." she stated, venom dripping off each of words.

Without another word, she stormed off.  
Saito couldn't help but flinch slightly when he heard the door slam close behind him. He let out a tired sigh, running his hands through his blue hair.

"Honestly I regret never having asked dad exactly who that spear belonged to when he was still alive. Couldn't he have gotten the catalyst for a more reasonable Servant?" he grumbled to himself as he got off of the floor.

He swiftly changed out of his sweatpants and into his school uniform. His steps echoed throughout the empty household as he made his way down the stairs. For a split second, a small frown covered his face. He had to wonder what it would be like to enter a room full of life rather than one of emptiness. He quickly banished the thought as soon as he reached the bottom of the stairs.

 _"It's like dad always said, duty comes before everything."_ he mentally reminded himself.

With that in mind, he made his way into the kitchen. Wanting a quick breakfast, he grabbed two pieces of bread and placed them in the toaster. His fingers rapidly tapped away on the counter out of impatience. He was in no hurry to get to school on time, rather his worries stemmed from Tamiko. His fingers tapped a little faster at the thought of the teenage girl, prompting him to clench his teeth. It both concerned and frustrated him the girl had gotten herself involved in the affair by pure accident. He had willingly chosen to put his life on the line while she had blindly stumbled into the conflict.

"She better not be expecting me to babysit her through this whole thing. I have my own safety to worry about." he muttered, the toast finally popping out with the last of his words.

A few more grumbles escaped his mouth before he hastily took a large bite of his toast. He continued to munch on his toast as he grabbed his school bag off the table and darted out of the door. He only stopped for a moment to lock the door before running off.  
Standing at the street corner with her arms folded across her chest was Lancer. Her blue eyes carefully watched as the blue-haired boy ran past her. She took a quick glance around at her surroundings, seeing no signs of any enemies nearby. Considering the coast was clear, she began following her Master from a distance.

At the same time at the Emiya household, the white-haired man groaned as he finally reawakened. Though upon doing so, he was greeted with an annoyed presence.

 _"Emiya, I thought I made it clear you were to track down the anomaly. You know, the humanity threatening_ _anomaly! Yet here I find you literally sleeping on the job."_ the voice grumbled in his head.

Emiya couldn't help but smirk slightly. After of years of bloodshed, having to fulfill the dirty work of a Counter Guardian, it felt nice to annoy the World.

"Well I had wounds to tend to." he stated as he sat up from his futon, stretching his back whilst doing so, "I may have endless mana but that doesn't exactly imply endless stamina. Can't exactly kill an anomaly if I'm too tired to do so."

The only response he received was an annoyed sigh.

Silence lingered in the air before the voice finally spoke up, _"Alright, fine. But you remember, you have till the end of the month to eliminate the anomaly otherwise humanity will continue to meet its end. Do not allow this anomaly to spread to the other timelines!"_

The archer simply rolled his eyes as he stood up. He couldn't see why the World was so concerned. He already knew what to look for, surely he could easily track down the anomaly before the end of the month with his skill set. Figuring that he would begin his search, he pushed open the sliding door. Though the moment he did this, he immediately regretted it. Standing in the living room was a woman short brown hair wearing winter clothing. Pair of shocked brown and gray eyes stared at each other in silence.

Finally without warning, the woman cried out in happiness as she ran over to Emiya. The white-haired man could do nothing but stare speechlessly as the woman threw her arms around him, pulling him into a tight hug.

"Ah, Shirou you're back!" she stated happily, prompting the man to stiffen at the mention of a name he had long since discarded.

"I can't believe you're here!" she gushed as she pulled back with a smile, but she paused with a raised brow, taking in his appearance as she noted, "And it seems you got a tan and dyed your hair white while you were gone."

Emiya blinked silently down at the woman before him. He wasn't surprised the woman had mistaken him for her Shirou Emiya, after all the red-head would be around his age now. No, instead what worried him was that he didn't know who the woman was. He recognized her face, but he could not recall her name. Out of desperation, he frantically searched his memories. The image of the woman unconscious as she was held up in the air next to a woman in a purple cloak filled his mind. It was then the name finally dawned on him, recalling his younger self crying it out in worry.

Forming a nervous grin on his face, hoping it wasn't wrong, he uttered "Hi... Fuji-nee."

Tilting her head to the side, Taiga Fujimara noted curiously "You seem tense, Shirou. Is something wrong?"

Taking a moment to mentally sigh in relief, Emiya cleared his throat before answering "Oh nothing's wrong, Fuji-nee. So exactly why are you here?"

The woman grinned mischievously as leaned toward the archer, pushing up on her tiptoes so she can look him directly in the face.

"You should remember, Shirou. You had asked me to keep an eye on things, make sure everything was still here after you came back from your travels. Though honestly I was expecting you to be gone for maybe a few more months. But that doesn't matter, now that you're here," she hummed, pausing to take his hands excitedly into hers before proclaiming, "you can cook for me again!"

Emiya was left speechless at the woman beaming happily up at him. At the back of his mind he could recall a faded memory. Images of himself standing in the kitchen, keeping a careful watch over the noodles cooking into the pot until a pair of arms was thrown around him with a woman voicing her eagerness on impatience over dinner. He was unable to keep himself from smiling at the fond memory. He had truly missed these feelings. He had nearly forgotten what it had been like to be in the company of friends and loved ones. The last time someone expressed such kindness to him was when he had been summoned as Rin's Servant in the Fifth Holy Grail War.

His hands slightly tensed around Fujimara's recalling how he shoved aside that kindness for the sake of his goal. He had been too blinded by his misery and desire to kill his younger self that he shoved aside any kindness given to him. It was only at the end was he reminded of what he lost. But now, at having receiving the same kindness, he wanted to cherish it. He wouldn't remain in the era for long and would once again await for his next summons. Until then, he wanted to enjoy what peace he could get.

Taking in a deep breath, he finally said "Sure Fuji-nee, I'll cook breakfast."

"Oh you're such a good little brother." she laughed before freeing one of her hands from his, patting it against his bare chest and continuing. "Though you might want to put on a shirt first. Don't want to give the ladies anymore reasons to chase after you."

Emiya's face immediately turned red in embarrassment, an emotion he had nearly forgotten he was capable of. But it only lasted for a few seconds, disappearing as he shook his head with a tired sigh.

"After all these years, you still haven't changed one bit Fuji-nee." he muttered, both pleased and slightly annoyed.


	5. Chapter 5 - School

Chapter 5

Caster took in a deep breath, bundled tightly in a gray hoodie, his hands stuffed deeply into the front pockets. He watched as Tamiko shivered in cold wind, prompting her to pull her black jacket tighter around her body as her steps never ceased their trek toward the school. The Servant remained silent as she glanced back at him, noticing that her lips were pressed tightly together in concern.  
With a small sigh escaping her mouth, she stopped and turned toward the white-haired boy.

Seeing his Master had stopped in her tracks, he asked "Tamiko, is there something wrong?"

The teenage girl simply shook her head, a worried smile on her face.

"It's just I noticed you were tense and I was wondering if there was anything I could do to help." she replied.

Caster blinked in silence. While he knew the girl was overwhelming with goodwill, he had expected her to be more worried about the war. He opened his mouth to speak his thoughts, but the words escaped him immediately. His cheeks reddened in frustration, wondering how his speech problem had persisted even beyond his death. Momentarily closing his eyes, he could recall his brother laughing as he ruffled his white hair, ensuring he would overcome the speech problem someday. His mouth twitched into a small heartbroken smile, recalling the dark skinned teen with brown hair and golden eyes.

The image only lingered in his mind for a few seconds, vanishing upon hearing his Master calling out for him again. Lifting up his purple eyes, he could see the girl still staring at him in worry. He took in a deep breath, gathering up his nerves to renew his confidence. His worries concerned her safety; he couldn't afford to fumble his words.

"While it's nice you show your concern for me, I'm more concerned about your safety. There's other Masters in this war and, not to be rude, but I don't think they'll extend to you the same kindness that you would be willing to extend to them. It would help if you were more on guard with your interactions today, that does include Lancer's Master as well."

The Servant remained silent as Tamiko pursed her lips in thought. It was clear to him she hadn't considered exactly how she would interact with the other Masters. He understood that Saito had no interest in killing her, yet he had no idea if the other Masters would share his viewpoint. The white-haired teen was drawn out of his thoughts when he realized the teenage girl had yet to reply, only simply standing in silence.

Finally, the silence was broken by the seventeen year-old taking in a deep breath, smiling as she replied "I appreciate your loyalty, Caster, but I cannot do that. Saito saved me last night, treating him coldly as if he were my enemy wouldn't be right. And while I do not know of the identities of the other Masters, I do not wish to treat everyone I encounter as a suspicious individual. It's only fair I give them the benefit of the doubt until their intentions are revealed to me."

The white-haired teen was left speechless. His mouth slightly hung open; his throat feeling like it had gone dry. He didn't wish to question his Master, but he had to know what drove the girl's actions. Immediately he ran up next to the girl, dead leaves on the ground crunching beneath. Hazel eyes met purple as they walked in even pace on the sidewalk. They were mostly alone aside for a few more teenagers walking ahead of them, fortunately not close enough to listen in on their discussion.

"If I may ask, why are you so kind to others, even people you have just met? I don't necessarily think it's a bad thing, but what inspired you to have this mindset? Was it your Guardian or was it something else?" he quietly asked.

Tamiko opened her mouth to answer, but then paused. Caster tilted his head in curiosity; he could see his Master's hazel eyes were full of thought. One of his brows rose in confusion. Surely his question would have a simple answer, yet he had to wonder why the girl now had gained a distant look in her eyes. He raised up his hand, considering to give the teen a simple shake to the shoulder. But, he changed his mind. Allowing the silence to linger in the air as he walked with his Master.

Brought back to the present, Tamiko furrowed her brows in concern. She had given it much thought yet she couldn't come up with a single reason. Turning her gaze to Caster, she could see him waiting patiently for her answer. Her eyes blinked in confusion, wondering exactly how long she had been walking in silence with the white-haired teen. Taking a moment to study her surroundings, she could see the school gate was only a few feet away from her. Upon seeing this the seventeen year-old immediately stopped in her tracks, pressing both of her hands against her forehead.

"Oh no," she whined, "please don't tell me I left you waiting for a response the entire walk to school."

Caster smiled apologetically; his hands raised in front of him, waving back and forth slightly.

"It's alright, you... you seemed like you had a lot on your mind and I... I didn't want to disturb." he replied with a few nervous pauses.

The teenage girl crossed her arms with a frown. Despite the fact her Servant was more than accepting of their silent walk, the guilt still ate at her. He had waited patiently for her to give her an answer yet she had none to give.

Insistent on fixing her mistake, she rested her hand on his shoulder and said "It's alright, Caster. Don't be afraid to speak up. We're partners in this war after all."

The white-haired teen's brows rose in realization before a faint tint of red brushed his cheeks. The promise the two had made the night before filled his mind and his silent vow to protect her not only as a Servant but also as a repayment for the kindness he was given. Very slowly, a smile managed to grace his lips.

"Alright, I understand. My well-being matters to you as well. If you wish, I can remain visible." he stated, "With our bodies being composed of mana, Servants can shift between psychical and spiritual form. You would hear me, but you wouldn't be able to see me."

Tamiko hummed as she pressed her fingers against her chin in thought. On one hand, having her Servant in spiritual form meant she wouldn't have to worry about explaining him to her friends at school. Yet on the other hand, she wouldn't be unable to check up on Caster unless he or she spoke up. She could see she had two choices. It only took her a few seconds to come up with any answer.

"While it may be more troublesome, I would like you to stay visible." she began, taking in a deep breath, "I think I would feel safer and calmer if I were to be able to see you. I know this means I have to come up with an explanation for the school about your appearance, but it's something I'm willing to do."

Caster nodded his head in understanding.

Knowing that the girl still needed to go to class, he said "Alright then, I shall obey. As for me, my only wish is for you to be on guard in case of encounters with other Masters."

Upon hearing this, Tamiko froze in her tracks. She didn't move an inch nor utter a single word. Only a few seconds passed by until she let out a small groan, and gave her head a few shakes.

Finally she spoke up "Alright, I will do that for you, Caster. I will remain on guard, even around Saito."

The white-haired teen jolted in surprise. The words he heard uttered from the girl's mouth were a complete contradiction to what she told him before. He had no idea what prompted his Master to change her mind. He wondered if it could be out of concern, or perhaps his words managed to influence the teen to reconsider her decision. Either way, he decided not to question it yet. If the teenage girl was making the effort to be more aware of his surroundings, he happily accepted it. After all, it would make his job of protecting her easier if she were on the lookout. Without another word, the two walked past the gate and crossed the school yard to the building's entrance.

Inside the school building, Saito leaned against the wall, watching as students passed him by. His nerves were on edge, constantly wondering if Tamiko would be able to make it to the safe haven of the school without encountering any more Masters. In the teen's hands he constantly twisted around a pencil, growing anxious during his wait. His blue eyes glanced toward the set of doors; finally he saw a glimpse of familiar ginger colored hair. A sigh of relief managed to escape his mouth. But as he was about to take a single step forward, the group of students managed to disperse enough for him to see the teen was not alone. His left eye twitched slightly when he was greeted with the sight of the seventeen year-old handing a pair of spare indoor shoes over to her Servant.

Out of frustration, his hand stopped twisting the pencil and his thumb pressed down hard on the wood. It only took a few seconds for the pencil to effortlessly snap in two, prompting the blue-haired boy to stare at the now broken pieces in surprise. Letting out an annoyed sigh, he threw the pencil into a nearby trashcan and began walking through the hallway as calmly as he could.

 _"As if I thought she couldn't get any dumber."_ he bitterly thought to himself, _"Why on Earth did she think it was a good idea to bring her Servant to school?"_

But before he could continue his thoughts, a feminine voice spoke up in his mind _"I believe last night it was established the lassie is a naive idiot. Who, might I add, foolishly rushed into a battle to almost get herself impaled by my spear if it weren't for you using your Command Spell."_

Upon hearing the voice, his eyes widened in surprise before narrowing them in annoyance.

 _"Lancer, I thought I told you only to contact me if you were to encounter anything out of the ordinary. This school may be a safe haven due to too many witnesses, but that doesn't mean there aren't any Masters here. Besides, what goes on between me and Katou-san is none of your business. You made it clear you don't agree with my honor code."_ he responded, taking in a deep inhale.

He could hear his Servant chuckle slightly at his words, more amused than offended by them.

 _"Discarding honor is what granted me my victories in life. That is why I'm quite amused that you continue to help the lassie out of a silly notion."_ she commented, the teenage boy could practically picture the smug smirk on her face as she continued, _"Or could it be the reasons run deeper than that? Is it possible my Master has taken a fancy to the lassie?"_

Saito's jaw tightened; his face burning red both out of embarrassment and anger toward the claims.

 _"I've barely interacted with her up till this point, how could I have taken a fancy to her?!"_ he barked back, not bothering to hide his anger, _"Now tell me, have you contacted me just to torment me or did you manage to find something?"_

 _"Seems I struck a nerve. Quite interesting, will have to remember that for the future."_ Lancer hummed in reply, _"Anyways the answer is no. I did sense the presence of a Servant but it's quite obvious that might have been Caster. Though just in case, I'll continue scouting the surrounding area. I'll let you know of any updates, Master."_

The seventeen year-old nodded his head in satisfaction. With his Servant constantly out on watch, he was confident that he would never be caught off guard. His feet finally managed to stop in front of his destination at the end of the hallway, the principal's office. He closed his eyes in focus, quietly whispering an incantation with his magic crest glowing as mana flowed through his body. The soft green glow of mana trailed down his right arm and straight to his hand. The mana converged at the palm of his hand, alighting it with a blue glow just not bright enough to be noticeable.

With preparations made, he opened his eyes and grasped the doorknob with his free hand. Taking in a deep breath to calm his nerves, he swung open the door with the jerk of his arm. Before him he could see a man in his thirties giving him a confused stare as he quickly closed the door behind him. He didn't give the man any chance to react as he dashed across the room and lunged onto the top of the desk with his glowing hand outstretched. His hand made contact with the man's forehead, causing the man's eyes to gain a glossy look with his body slumping in his chair.

His eyes squeezed shut, allowing his mind to delve into the man's memories. Within his mind's eye he oversaw the process, strings of light all connected to different memories. He mentally brushed aside the streams of light like greenery streaming down from a tree limb, searching for the one that would contain the memories of that morning. It only took him a few seconds to locate the one he was searching for.

"You'll owe me big time, Katou-san." he muttered, grasping ahold of the memory stream.

Sucking in a sharp breath, he pulled the stream apart. A pained gasp escaped his mouth, feeling his own respective memory stream snap. The one downside when it came to memory alteration, both the target and the user would be effected by the spell. Acting fast, his mana began mending the memory, weaving the broken string together with a new one containing the false image of a white-haired teen sitting at the desk with paperwork belonging to that of an exchange student. It took a few more minutes before finally, the strings intertwined and became whole once more.

Saito let out a long exhale, his eyelids slowly fluttering open. Without a word, he removed his hand from the principal's head and left the office. By the time the man snapped out of his trance, he now had the intention of informing the staff of the arrival of their new foreign exchange student.

Students gathered in the hallways outside of their classrooms. Tamiko could see the white-haired teen before her attempting to shrink down beneath the gaze of the other students. Out of all the teens in the building, he was the only one not dressed in a brown school uniform. The ginger-haired girl bit her lip nervously. She knew she promised the teen that she would come up with an excuse for his appearance, yet she was drawing blanks. Though before she could ponder any further, she felt a tap on her shoulder.

Surprised by the touch she spun around on her heel. Heart racing, she found herself staring at a girl with short black hair and emerald green eyes, dressed in the same school uniform as her.

"Well you seem awfully jumpy today, Katou." the girl smirked, jabbing out her index finger as she continued, "It's honestly out of character for you."

Tamiko shuffled her feet as she shifted closer to Caster, the movement slow and deliberate. She glanced back to see the boy watching her intently, but making no move to speak.

"Sorry Tanaka Senpai," the seventeen year-old girl apologized, pausing to swallow a lump that managed to form in her throat, "Guess I'm just having pre-exam jitters."

Aki Tanaka raised one of her brows. Her eyes narrowed in suspicion as she leaned in close with her hands firmly planted on her hips.

"That may be true but I sense it runs," her eyes flickered with a dark amusement, "deeper than that." she stated, starring daggers at Tamiko with each word. "Now come on Katou, tell the truth."

Tamiko's face paled with a nervous sweat forming on her brow. She could never understand how her friend could hold such an intimidating gaze, and was convinced the teen could make a criminal confess to any crime with her gaze alone. Her mouth silently opened and closed, trying to think of anything to say but finding that the words would not come easily. Suddenly, she felt a pair of hands tightly gripped her shoulders and her body being maneuvered. Her brows raised in shock to see Caster was no longer standing next to her but rather in front of her, his face struggling to remain determined as he pressed his back against her chest.

Knowing there could only be one reason for her Servant feeling unnerved, she shifted her gaze back to the teenage girl before her to see she was now staring down the shy teenage boy.  
Tanaka hummed, finally leaning back with a teasing smirk on her face.

"So that's why you're so nervous. Afraid that I might take a fancy to the new foreign exchange student?" she teased, ended her words with a giggle.

Tamiko's face turned blood red.

"No, I'm not afraid of-" she started to deny with frantic, flustered words. But cut herself off, eyes widening in realization. Shoving aside her earlier embarrassment, she continued in a much calmer tone "Wait, foreign exchange student?"

"Yeah." Tanaka replied, walking around behind the girl and out of the white-haired teen's view.

Without uttering a word, she tapped a single finger on top of the boy's head. Grinning in amusement as he yelped from her touch, immediately letting go of Tamiko and jumping back from her, causing some of the students in the hallway to stare at him.

"Do you make any noise when you move?" Caster asked, pressing his hand against his startled heart.

"I do," the eighteen year-old replied, leaning closer to the teen with a smirk, "You just weren't paying attention."

Seeing her Servant was clearly flustered from the close proximity of her friend, Tamiko coughed loudly in her hand, causing the two teens to direct their attention to her.

"Tanaka Senpai, why do you think Caster is a foreign exchange student?" she questioned.

The black-haired teen leaned back, one of her brows raised and her hand planted on her hip, replying "Caster? Strange name. Anyways, it's pretty obvious that he's an exchange student." She paused to lift up her free hand, raising an individual finger with each point she made. "First off, some students heard the principal informing the staff of a foreign exchange student that recently arrived. Second of all, Caster-san isn't wearing the Homurahara Academy school uniform, making the conclusion pretty obvious."

Tamiko glanced toward the floor. She hadn't made the claim of a foreign exchange student to anyone, leaving her to wonder why the principal made it. Her nose scrunching in thought, it didn't take her long to come to an answer. The only person who could convince the principal that Caster was an exchange student had to be someone who knew the truth, and with that revelation only one person came to mind. Before she could think further, the bell rang, and panic raced through her.

Not giving Caster any time to react, she grabbed the boy by the arm and pulled him along. She could hear the teen cry out and his arm jerk, indicating he had nearly stumbled. She bit her lip out of guilt. She didn't want to drag the teen along, but she had to hurry along to her class.

Without even looking back, she shouted "Gotta go, see you at lunch Tanaka Senpai!"

No other words left her mouth as she continued pulling along her Servant. Much to her relief, she managed to reach her classroom in time, and immediately screeched to a halt in the doorway. Unfortunately, this caused her companion to fall forward from the momentum, crashing to the floor with a loud bang. She gasped out in worry, not wasting any time to kneel down next to the teen.

"Caster, are you alright?" she asked, gingerly pull him up onto his haunches.

Caster groaned, rapidly blinking his eyes as he turned toward his master.

"I'm good." he tried to respond, his words slurred, "Were there always three of you?"

Tamiko's lips curled back nervously, painting an awkward grin on her face. She helped the boy to his feet, and walked him over to one of the empty desks. She was about to turn away till she noticed the teen's eyes roll backwards and his body slump over the side. A panicked hiss escaped her mouth. Acting fast, she slammed her hands firmly against his chest, pinning him to the chair. Seeing she stopped the Servant from falling over, she let out a sigh of relief. Suddenly, the sound of a rough cough behind her filled her ears.

Turning around, she was greeted with the sight of Saito mere inches from her face; one of his brows raised and arms firmly folded across his chest.

"Do I want to know what you were doing with you were doing with the exchange student just now?" he questioned, his voice laced with suspicion.

The teenage girl's body tensed, taking a step backwards from the teen. Her eyes glanced back and forth a few times between Saito and her unconscious Servant. She took in a deep breath, choosing her next words carefully.

"What I do with Caster-san is none of your concern, Saito-kun." she jabbed, recalling the previous morning.

The blue-haired teen's eyes widened in surprise. But it only lasted for a few seconds as he groaned, pressing his hand against the temple of his forehead.

"Of all the words you could have chosen, you had to choose those. You're lucky my mind didn't think of anything else." he stated.

Tamiko tilted her head curiously, confused by the boy's words. She thought back to her words, wondering what kind of meaning the teen could have drawn from them. The moment she figured out the answer, her mouth dropped open, completely appalled.

"You would accuse me of doing that kind of stuff with Caster?!" she exclaimed in shock, "Why on Earth would you think that?! Do you do that kind of stuff with your Servant?!"

Saito's eyes widened in horror, accidentally remarking back loudly "No! Why would I?!"

Realizing the volume of his own voice, he slapped his hand over his mouth. His face now burning red, he took a quick look around, making sure no one was watching.

"I would never... I mean Lancer is... I just..." he desperately fumbled with his words, growing more flustered by the second, "Ugh, just... just forget this encounter happened okay."

Tamiko remained silent as she watched the boy head over to his desk, hiding his face behind an open book. She wasn't exactly sure what to make of her interaction with the teenage boy. Deciding it would be best to follow Saito's advice, she sat down at her desk and opened her book alongside a notebook. Her back straightened as the teacher entered the room. She noticed the older man was about to speak until he glared toward the back of the classroom. Twisting her her torso slightly, she could see Caster had awakened and was groggily shaking his head.

Turning back toward the teacher, she watched the man let out a sigh before beginning the lesson. Her ears listened carefully to each word as she wrote down her notes. But as she did this, her mind recalled Caster's question to her. It still deeply troubled her that she still had no answer. Without meaning to, her mind drifted back to her earliest memory.

 _A young ten year-old girl with dirty ginger hair stared with emotionless hazel eyes at the officers passing her by. She didn't dare to speak up, wrapping the blanket covering her nude form tighter around her body. The child didn't know who the officers were and why they were there. The only thing she could recall is a scream and blood in her vision. A whimper slipped from her mouth as her body trembled, curling her legs up against her chest, and pressing her forehead against the top of her knees. She remained still in her tight ball until she heard the sound of footfalls approaching her._

 _Very slowly, the young girl lifted up her head in a robotic fashion. Standing before her was a man with spiky black hair and a goatee. His attire did not match those of the officer; he wore a black suit with black gloves, giving off a professional aura.  
The man frowned as he gazed down at the girl. He grunted as he lowered himself onto his knees, not caring about the dirt getting on his pant legs._

 _"Hey there," he greeted with a pitiful smile, "are you doing alright?"_

 _The girl did not reply, only blankly staring up. She watched as jaw tightened slightly. She felt he was viewing her as a fragile china doll. Perhaps she could be mistaken for one if not for the occasional trembles of her body and her hand clutching tightly around the front of her blanket. Her body jolted slightly as he took in deep sigh, running his gloved hand through his hair. The young child was not prepared for sudden noise nor movement._

 _The stranger closed his eyes momentarily, reopening them and responded, "My name is Ken Murakami, I wish for you to tell me your name."_

 _Hazel eyes glanced up to meet brown.  
_

 _"Tamiko," she answered immediately in a small voice, "Tamiko Katou."_

 _Tamiko watched as Ken turned his head away, muttering words quietly under his breath she was unable to make out. Silently, the man before her slipped off one of his gloves, shoving it deeply into his pocket before extending out his hand. She briefly glanced at the hand, but made no effort to move toward nor away from it._

 _With a kind smile painted on his face, Ken said "It seems you have no one around anymore. If it's alright, I would like to take you into my care. It may take a few days for me to settle into the house, but I promise to provide for you like a good guardian."_

 _Tamiko didn't reply immediately, instead choosing to return her attention to the hand. It was held wide open, awaiting for her to take it in both a pleading and reassuring manner. She found there was something strange about him. Unlike the officers, she could feel a strong source of energy radiating off the man. Whimpering, she scampered back from the his hand. She watched as his brows furrowed; the smile turning into a frown. He tried to extend his hand out to her once more. Once again, the girl flinched away from the gesture._

 _Ken's eyes darkened as he lowered his hand. Silence filled the air as his eyes never left the girl before him. He tapped his ungloved fingers against his leg, his eyelids lowering ever so slightly._

 _Finally he spoke up "I want you to let me take care of you."_

 _Tamiko didn't reply, only blankly staring back at the man. She saw Ken let out a sigh, rubbing his free hand against the back of his neck. The tapping against his leg increased, showing hints of frustration. The little girl watched him take in a deep breath as his fingers stopped their tapping, instead curling into a tight fit._ She could tell the man was searching for the right words as the silence lingered, and he wet his dry lips _. Curiosity filled the child as Ken closed his eyes, taking in another deep breath. When he reopened his eyes a few seconds later, she saw they were hardened and determined._

 _"I wish you would let me take care of you." his tone stern whilst extending out his hand._

 _The girl blinked, staring down at the hand presented before her once more. Without saying a single word, she reached out for the hand and placed it in his. Her hand was practically engulfed as his fingers curled, entrapping it in a firm yet loving grip. Lifting up her head, she could see Ken was frowning, guilt clearly swimming in his eyes. She tilted her head lower, trying to make eye contact with him. Yet instead of meeting her gaze, Ken lowered his head downward so he was facing the ground. The ten year-old straightened up, staring at the man's bowed head. No words were shared as the two continued to sit in silence._

Tamiko blinked her eyes rapidly, the sound of the school bell awakening her from her memories. Her breath hitched in panic. She had missed the entire lesson; a crucial lesson that held answers for her upcoming exam. Her teeth clenched, baring herself as she glanced down at her notebook. But upon doing this, her body stiffened. Instead of a blank page, her writing was displayed with the entire lesson written clearly on paper.


	6. Chapter 6 - Kendo Duel

Chapter 6

Saito groaned as he rubbed his hand against his face. The sound of the school bell made his head ache and throb. Annoyed blue eyes glared up at the clock, teeth clenched in frustration. While he does not regret willingly becoming a participant in the mystical war, he did hate how it claimed most of his sleep. Allowing a sigh to slip from his mouth, the boy allowed himself to glance over at Tamiko. He could see the teen staring down at her papers with concern clearly painted on her face. Saito pursed his lips in thought, wondering if he should learn the cause for the ginger's worry.

He only pondered for a few seconds before shaking his head, believing her servant could easily take care of it and he had worried enough. Without a word, he gathered his books and left the classroom. The hallways were bustling with students, chatter of all kinds filling the air. Saito was able to pick up bits of pieces of the dialogue. He could hear discussions about homework, friends planning meeting up, and other after school activities. His eyes briefly glanced downward. The mask of stern he carefully crafted cracked, but only slightly.

Suddenly, a familiar Scottish voice spoke up _"You know, it's strange. You're not exactly the emotionless type. Our little chat this morning can be considered an example of that. So why does a boy full of emotion tend to act like a lone wolf in public?"_

Saito was unable to prevent a sigh from slipping out.

"I don't want to drag outsiders into my mess. One of the constant rules in the magus world is not to reveal magic to the public. It's far easier to protect them from magical conflicts if I never let anyone get close to me in the first place. I even hate the thought of using magecraft on a non-magus, something I would have to resort to if there were any witnesses."

His servant hummed, noting _"That explains why your mood seemed more foul than usual during our previous discussion. Due to the lassie's slip up, you had to use your magecraft on an innocent."_

The teen groaned, tiredly rubbing his hand against his forehead.

"Don't remind me." he grumbled, "Katou and her exchange student friend are going to be the death of me at this rate."

Instead of receiving a reply, snickers of laughter echoed throughout his mind. He rose a brow in confusion, not understanding the source of the redhead's amusement. Looking back at his words, he wondered if they contained unnoticeable humor. It only took him a few seconds to finally realize why the woman was laughing. An annoyed sigh slipped from the boy's lips, recalling that Caster wasn't an exchange student and he only thought this due to the effect of the memory alteration magecraft.

Saito shook his head and spoke up "I don't suppose you contacted me just to chat."

Lancer managed to quiet down her laughter with the clear of her throat.

 _"It's only been a few days and you already know me so well, Master."_ she replied, amusement lingering in her voice before shifting to a serious tone, _"I came to inform you, the presence I sensed earlier was not Caster. Honestly I should have known better. With his high level magecraft, he's capable of concealing his presence. It was only moments ago his presence concealment dropped. You do realize what this means correct?"_

The teen's blue eyes narrowed. The presence of another Servant only meant one thing, there was another Master at the school. His hands clenched, struggling not to allow the frustration appear on his face. Out of all the locations for a Master to appear, it had to be in a place where many innocent witnesses roam.

He found himself stirred from his thoughts by the spearswoman asking _"So, what shall you do with this knowledge?"_

A sigh slipped from the boy's mouth before answering "I'll locate this Master. Even if they try to conceal their presence from me, our Command Spells should react to each other. Once I discern if they're a threat or not, I'll decide my next course of action."

With his mind set, Saito made his way down the stairs. The mindless chatter he had ignored now had him on edge. Any one of those voices could belong to the Master lurking in the shadows. Entering the lunchroom, he was greeted with an assortment of students speaking among themselves. Taking in a deep breath, the boy startled channeling mana. The lines of his family crest glowed softly beneath his school uniform. He could feel mana lingering in the air all around him; all he needed was to find the strongest source.

Silently the teen extended his senses as he walked over to the lunch line, searching for any mana trails, something any magus could pick up unless concealed. It didn't take long for a him to find one, sensing a light flow akin to a gentle stream. But before he could pinpoint where the trail led, the sound of banging shattered his focus. The seventeen year-old sighed with his head leaned back. Turning around he could see a male student banging his fist against a vending machine, trying to knock loose a drink that was stuck on the rack.

Saito's brow twitched in sync with the pounding, growing more annoyed with each beat. Finally he let out an exasperated groan.

"Will you give it up already? The drink is stuck, just accept you won't get it!"

The student stopped, turning toward him. At first he was surprised, but slowly a grin crept on his face.

"Well if it isn't Katsu 'bluray buster' Saito. Mind performing your specialty and trying yourself?"

Saito's mind became filled with a long repressed memory. "That was only one time..." he murmured in frustration, walking over to the source of the noise. His eyes narrowed in focus. Without letting anyone notice, he ever so quietly whispered an incantation. The teen refused to try to figure out the device before him, preferring to solve it with a more familiar method. Pressing a single hand to the glass, he shoved against it slightly. Small vibrations coursed from his fingertips throughout the vending machine. The force easily knocked the drink loose from the rack.

The seventeen year-old smiled smugly to himself, kneeling down to pick up the drink and toss it over to the stunned student.

"Oh would you look at that, it didn't blow up." he taunted, "Well this was amusing and all, but I've wasted enough time with you."

Before Saito could take a single step, a hand grabbed his shoulder. He sighed, turning around to see the student glaring at him.

"Okay I call bull crap! You are not good with technology, period! What trick did you use?" the teen demanded.

Saito rolled his eyes. He didn't want to bother with a fight; rather, he wanted to return his search for the other Master. Trying to make distance, he grabbed the boy's wrist. But when he tried to pull the hand away from his shoulder, the grip tightened. Teeth clenched in frustration. No matter how much he pulled, fingers only dug deeper. Seeing he was unable to get free, he returned the student's glare with one of his own.

"Is it that hard to believe I could beat your little 'challenge'?" Saito asked.

"Considering your history with technology, yes. The only way you could have gotten that drink out is by using magic." the student laughed.

Hearing those words, the young boy's breath was caught in his throat. His body tensed, panic clearly lingered in his eyes. Joke or not, he didn't want to take any chances. Thinking fast; he sought to cover his tracks. His hands clenched, taking a deep breath, focusing his gaze on the teen before him.

"Oh yeah, such big talk from the guy that was practically annihilated by Aki Tanaka. Tell me, exactly how far did she managed to fling you again?" the blue-haired boy shot back.

Upon hearing this, the student exclaimed "Oh you just had to bring that up. You feel cocky about this, then let's put your money where your mouth is with a real challenge. After class, kendo club! I'll wipe the floor with you!"

The seventeen year-old pursed his lips. Making the student angry was the only topic shift he could think of. Knowing no one else could help him with his mess, he reluctantly accepted. It was only then his shoulder was finally released. Saito's brows furrowed, one of his hands rubbing the now sore shoulder. Recalling the original task, the boy sought out the original presence of mana. But no matter where he searched, he could no longer locate it. Frustration at himself bubbled beneath the surface. He had allowed himself to get distracted and lose track of the Master. All because he was too flustered over a simple teasing.

The rest of the school hours seemed like a breeze to him. Attending classes with his thoughts filled with both of that of the Master and the kendo challenge. Finally the sound of the final bell rang in his ears. The moment of truth had come. Staying true to his word, he made his way to the kendo club. The boy gazed at the surroundings of the wooden dojo. He had never truly taken the time to see what the activities the school had to offer.

"Oi Saito-kun! Are you gonna daydream all day or are you gonna fight?" a voice called out.

Snapping out of his daze, he saw the male student from before now dressed in a training uniform and holding two wooden swords. Saito let out a sigh, choosing not to say any words. He peeled off his jacket and rolled up the sleeves of his black sweater. The two boys never broke eye contact as the blue-haired teen accepted one of the swords. In all honesty, Saito was slightly nervous, but he refused to let that show. He took in a deep breath, kneeling on the floor momentarily per the rules. As soon as he straightened out his body, the male student swung downward with a yell.

A small yelp managed to escape his mouth. Instinctively he quickly raised his weapon. The two wooden swords clacked together. He flinched each time the blades clashed, taking a step back whilst doing so. The male student simply gave him a taunting smirk in response. Glancing behind him, Saito could see his feet dangerously close to the edge of the mat.

"Ha, you're not even trying!" his opponent taunted.

The wooden sword swung toward him in an even vertical swipe. The blue-haired teen sucked in a sharp breath in response. Acting on reflex, he side stepped the attack, the weapon barely grazing his sleeve. His head lifted with eyes wide in surprise.

"Did I seriously just do that?" Saito muttered in disbelief.

The opposing swordsman blinked in shock; his head looking back and forth between the spot Saito originally was and his current location.

"What the?!" he shouted flustered, "There's no way you got past me that easily!"

The swords clashed once more. The two boys grunting as they encircled each other, their barefoot moving swiftly across the floor. Deep and calm breaths emerged from the blue-haired teen. Although he didn't know much about kendo, one of the key factors he knew was to always maintain focus. After all, even one second of distraction is enough opening for the enemy. Another clack rang in his ears. Fingers curled tightly around the handle of his weapon. He could feel his knees buckle a bit as his opponent pushed down hard on his weapon.

Suddenly, within a blink of a second, the teenage boy yelled as he swung his weapon. Saito jolted, seeing the weapon speeding toward his exposed stomach. He held his breath, jumping backwards. The tip of the wood caught on his black sweater. Unable to maintain his balance, he crashed to the ground with a thud. Laughter filled the blue-haired boy's ears. With a hiss he pushed himself to his hands and knees. Blue eyes glared up at his opponent. All signs of his nervousness vanished.

"Okay, now it's personal." the seventeen year-old muttered under his breath.

He stood up once more; his hands tightly clenched around the handle. The smirk painted on the first year's face only served to annoy him. Taking in a deep breath, he raised his sword. The male student didn't waste any time to strike as he yelled with a vertical swing. Saito's brows furrowed as he blocked the blow. The clanks of wood now filled the air again. Bare feet scampered across the floor. The blue-haired teen twisted his weapon, meeting his opponent's attack. As the fight continued on, the seventeen year-old carefully watched the younger student. He took notice of the boy's fast blows and tense posture. This all indicated the opposed wanted a quick battle.

With each strike he met, he noticed a small opening. Every movement left his opponent's head unguarded, creating a window of opportunity. He resisted the urge to crack a sly grin. With a game plan in mind, he steadied his stance. Saito held his breath, anticipating the next swing. With a swish of air, the wooden blade swung toward him from the left. Acting fast, he jumped out of the way, this time the tip of the blade missing his shirt. Seeing his chance appear, Saito let out a yell as he swung his weapon downward. A bang resounded in the room the moment the wood smacked down on the boy's head.

The male student fell down with a yelp. He groaned, taking one of his hands to rub the soreness away.

"No fair, that was a cheap shot!" the first-year claimed.

Saito narrowed his eyes, crossing his arms as he remarked back "And your little stunt earlier wasn't? Besides, wasn't my fault your body language was too readable."

The sixteen year-old was about to open his mouth to respond, but found himself cut off by a female voice noting "Of course he was too readable. You're not exactly going to get a challenge from a rookie."

Everyone in the room turned to see none other than Tanaka dressed in the kendo uniform with her own sword in hand.

She smirked as she chuckled "Honestly never expected to see you here Saito-kun. Getting cocky over beating a member with little experience nonetheless."

Saito's face turned blood red upon being flustered.

"I was not being cocky." he muttered.

Tanaka's sly grin grew ever so wider.

"Oh please, I could see how you were struggling to resist the urge to grin. You wanted to gloat so badly. And you say the rookie here is too readable."

The teenage boy opened and closed his mouth, struggling to come up with a response. He never quite could put his finger on it, but there was always something about Tanaka that annoyed him. It seemed like with her presence alone she can succeed to get under his skin. He bit down on his lip hard, trying to fight back a bitter remark.

Unfortunately this proved to be fruitless as the teen blurted out "Oh yeah? I bet I can take you on!"

The third year raised a brow at these words. Her lips pursed with her fingers tapping on the top of her sword. Finally she laughed and slung the wooden weapon onto her shoulder.

"Alright, so you want to play with fire. Who am I to stop you?"

Saito couldn't help but groan whilst planting his hands into his face. Once again his ego had gotten him into trouble. Seeing there was no other choice, he accepted both the challenge and the humility that would come with it. He started to walk to his starting position, but paused as Tanaka passed by him. The back of his hand was burning. Out of reflex, the teen hissed whilst holding the injured appendage. The two remaining marks were glowing brightly. Only a few things could cause it to react in such a way, and one of those was the presence of another Master.

The seventeen year-old glanced back at the black-haired girl. His command spells hadn't reacted until she approached him. Studying her figure, she didn't seem to show any signs of being in pain. His mouth was pressed together in a firm line. If the student before him was truly an enemy Master, he intended to find out. Silently he walked over to his spot and knelt. Saito's blue eyes gazed into a pair of green ones, which stared back at him neutrally. Finally the two stood up and readied their weapons.

He took slow and mediated steps, never tearing his gaze away from his opponent. Suddenly the boy was drawn out of his thoughts by the sound of giggling. His brows raised in surprise to see a cunning smirk painted on the older teen's face.

"Nervous aren't we?" she taunted in a singing tone.

Saito tightened his grip on the handle.

"No, why would you say that?" he replied.

The sound of jingling giggles filled his ears. He watched as the girl's green eyes carefully scanned him. The tensity grew as they slowly encircled each other. All too sudden, Tanaka shouted as she swung at him. The boy was stunned by her speed, barely able to block the blow. His heart thudded in panic upon seeing his arms tremble from the impact. Before he could even blink, the girl had already moved for a second attack. Her body twirled elegantly, the sword effortlessly raised above her head. Saito tried to turn to intercept, but bulk of the wood had collided with his shoulder.

The world seemed to spin as he tumbled to the ground. He grunted while shaking his head. Blinking his eyes, he found himself pinned to the floor by Tanaka's knee; the shinai pointed directly at his neck.

"The answer to your question," she began slyly, leaning down toward his face, "your body was simply too stiff. Rigid shoulders and forced posture."

Her green eyes glinted with mischievousness.

"Funny how you're acting this nervous the same day Katou shows up with her new exchange student friend."

Saito's face reddened slightly. He grumbled under his breath, shoving aside the weapon with his hand.

"Katou is overly friendly to everyone. It does not surprise me she's being friendly with the new exchange student." the teen replied, "Shouldn't you know this as her best friend?"

Tanaka hummed, lifting her knee off the seventeen year-old's chest.

"That's true, Katou can be too kind for her own good." she spoke up, slinging the sword onto her shoulder, "But I feel like the case is different with Caster. Katou is kind, but I've never seen her joined at the hip with someone like with him. But I think I may know why and surely you know as well."

The blue-haired boy furrowed his brows.

"Just admit it, Saito-kun." she continued, returning to her starting position, "Clearly Katou got a crush on the new guy and it's got you all flustered."

Upon hearing this, Saito was left flabbergasted. His body was frozen with his mouth hanging open. A crush, he couldn't figure how on Earth she came to that conclusion. Feeling the lingering sting on the back of his hand reminded him of his suspicions. Taking in a deep breath, he pushed himself back onto his feet. As he approached the starting position, he analyzed his opponent. Her form was firm yet relaxed. It was clear the girl was beaming with confidence. Not the cocky and boastful kind his previous opponent expressed, but rather a more calm and calculated one.

Trying to replicate her posture, he relaxed his body with the shoulders slightly lowered. Reflexes like a cobra, Tanaka struck with a thrust. The two wooden swords intersected each other. The teens breathed hard as they twist and turned, their swords meeting for every blow. Saito could feel sweat dripping down his brow. Glancing over at Tanaka, he was shocked to see the girl's skin still completely dry.

"Tired already?" the dark-haired girl teased.

Another clang filled the air as the weapons collided.

Saito barred his teeth, quickly replying "No way, I can keep this up for hours!"

Tensity filled the air. Tanaka's eyes narrowed ever so slightly. For a split second, the teenage boy could have sworn he saw a glimpse on annoyance on his opponent's face. The two shinai meet once more; two sets of arms shaking as they tried to force the other back.

"Funny you say that." the eighteen year-old began, leaning her head over the pair of swords, "I imagine you would be exhausted with your new girlfriend."

The blue-haired boy pushed forward, moving his opponent backwards a bit.

"Katou is not my girlfriend nor my crush!"

Upon hearing this, Tanaka rolled her eyes and replied "Oh no! I'm sorry to hear the news. Don't tell me you broke up after she caught you cheating with that redhead you're so fond of"

Saito paled as he faltered, allowing the girl to shove him harshly. He stumbled, struggling to maintain his balance. Bending his knees, the boy managed to brace his footing. But by doing this, he had left his back exposed. His eyes widened, hearing the familiar shout. He acted to defend himself, turning to face the attack. But, he was too late. The shinai harshly slammed into his ribs. A cry of pain escaped the boy, not hesitating to press his hand against his side.

"Whoops, got a bit carried away." the third year replied "Totally forgot the opponent I'm facing is not even a rookie at best."

She squinted her eyes with the last of her words.  
The young man hissed quietly, rubbing his sore spot. He glared at the upper classman. What she did was no mistake. He had seen her skill first hand. No; her actions were intentional. Straightening up, Saito steadied his resolve.

 _"It's clear at this point she's just toying with me, just like she toys with everyone."_ he thought as his hands tightened around the handle, _"How did Katou even befriend her in the first place?"_

Deciding to continue this dance of mental gymnastics, Saito began to carefully encircle Tanaka.

"Oh so you bring up the rumors. You should know better than listen the latest school gossip."

The teenage girl smiled slyly in response.

"Oh I know they're not rumors. Cause Katou caught you with her the other day."

Taking the chance to strike, the boy let out a cry. The shinai aimed for his opponent's shoulder swung swiftly. The blow was instantly blocked. Holding the weapon at bay, Tanaka raised a single brow.

"So you're learning." she noted; her voice shifting to a more darker and serious one, "Alright, let's see if you can still keep up."

The two jumped back from each other. Saito's bare feet scrapped across the floor as he charged forward. Each of his swings carried a furiosity they didn't contain previously. Loud slams filled the air. The eighteen year-old held her sword to the side, intercepting the frequent attacks. But with each hit, her arms would tremble slightly. The boy's movement was beginning to become too fast for her to respond. Another yell escaped the male teenager's mouth, swinging the sword above his head, forcing the teenage girl to block it. Both of their arms shook with the two weapons pressed together above them.

"Impressive, your adrenaline has given you an edge." Tanaka complimented before smirking, "But, at the same time it has made you lose focus."

"I have plenty of focus! I know exactly what I want to do." he barked back.

A vertical strike prompted Tanaka to roll out of the way.

"And what is your current goal?"

Blue eyes glared up at a pair of green ones.

"Beating you at your own game." he muttered darkly.

The room seemed silent except for the sound of heavy breathing. Saito blocked out all surroundings, directing his focus solely on the girl before him. He now knows for the past for few minutes she had been pulling him along a mental dance. Elegantly tugging him along to extract information from him. But the question was why. Was she a Master or simply a person concerned for her friend? That was the answer he wanted and the only way to do that was to take the lead in this dangerous dance.

Opting for a simple question, Saito asked "So you say Katou caught me with this woman. Exactly how would you know that?"

He could no longer hear the sound of smacking wood. Only the third year's hums filled his ears.

"Katou is my best friend. I know what's going on her life."

The boy pressed forward, "Would she know what's going on in your life?"

The mischievous glint returned to her eyes "Trying to use poor innocent Katou to pry into my personal life? Well aren't you just the little player."

The teenager's cheeks flared red with a grunt. The girl's skill at evasion extended far past her swordsmanship. Every time he felt like he was close to a solid lead, she could always misdirect him. Taking in a deep breath, he proceeded with this the intricate mind games. The blue-haired teen concluded he wouldn't gain any answers with Tamiko as the topic. Questioning Tanaka's knowledge on the ginger only led to a vague taunt. It was time to change up strategies.

"You know Tanaka-san you sound like you're the one with the crush. All these responses make it seem like you're eager to learn about me."

If she was going to taunt he would retaliate with his own.

"Well you know what they say," the dark haired girl responded, "know thy enemy."

Saito furrowed his brows. He didn't know if she was referring to her possible status as a Master or the battle they're currently in. He found himself pondering whilst jumping back from a swing.

 _"If she's truly a Master, there's got to be something to make her slip up. But how to get it out of her without exposing myself? If I'm too obvious she might catch onto my suspicions."_

The two blades clashed with each other.

"You're awfully skilled with the sword, why is that?" Saito asked.

It was a safe enough question in his mind. Anyone would comment on someone's skills, especially when they exceeded others. If possible, he could see the teen being the master of a Saber or even the Assassin servant he encountered last night. An excellent fighter would be more likely to summon a heroic spirit of similar caliber.  
Tanaka simply smiled, taking a step back to avoid a vertical swing.

"I'm a third year student, I've been in the kendo club ever since I started high school. Anyone can get good with three years of training." she answered.

Saito was left to ponder at the response he received. Being dedicated to something for that length of time certainly did show dedication. But unfortunately, it didn't exactly prove she was secretly a Master. Yes, the girl would most likely have knowledge of great warriors of the past to look toward as inspiration. Yet that wasn't exactly pointing toward knowing about the existence of magic. As the two carefully encircled each other, he weighed his options. The teen could search for the mana trail he located earlier. Although it would cause him to lose focus, finding the lost trail would give him a definite answer.

Coming to a decision, the boy took in a deep breath, allowing his senses to spread. Both to his surprise and confusion, he found the mana. But it wasn't stemming from one source like he expected. Rather it seemed to swirl around the room. Because of this it made hard it pinpoint the origin. Directing more of his attention on the mana, he begin picking up patterns. It flowed akin to a whirlpool, the current becoming stronger the further one goes down. Following the spiral ever deeper, Saito made the mistake of instinctively closing his eyes.

The sound of a shout awakened his mind. Eyelids flew open to see Tanaka thrusting her sword toward him. With clenched teeth Saito blocked the blow. The two weapons awkwardly clanked against each other. The blue-haired teen struggled to push back but the momentum was too much and he had reacted too slow. With a cry, his hand was harshly pinned against his chest.

"What did I just say about your focus?" Tanaka scolded in a stern tone.

Her gaze briefly flickered downward. Very slowly, she leaned forward where her lips were centimeters from the boy's ear. He could feel her warm breath brushing across it.

"I would say nice tattoo, but we both know what that is on your hand." she whispered.

Saito's eyes widened in horror, watching as Tanaka pulled back to reveal a knowing smirk painted on her face. Without warning, she managed to sweep kick his legs. All the seventeen year-old do was stare at the grinning teen before his head smashed on the wooden floor, sending his world into darkness.


	7. Chapter 7 - Blades Cross

Chapter 7

Tamiko was silent, walking out on the school's courtyard along with her servant. She couldn't get the events earlier that day out of her head. How could she have written an entire paper when her mind had been preoccupied? Looking back at the strange achievement, it was still hard to believe she had performed it. The whole thing seemed mechanical, inhuman.

"Master?" the voice of Caster had reached her ears.

Stopping in her tracks, she turned toward the teenage boy. She could see the worry clouding his purple eyes. For a brief moment, the girl allowed her gaze to flicker to the side. Perhaps it had been the heroic spirit that had written the paper for her. But within seconds, she struck out that theory. If Caster had written the paper, she would have seen him standing next to her desk by the time the bell rang and certainly someone would have noted it. The more she thought about the mystery, the more her thoughts ran in circles. Questions upon questions. Finally the ginger simply shook her head with a sigh.

"Sorry Caster, there's been a lot of thoughts on my mind. I guess I'm still trying to get use to things." Tamiko replied. Although slightly forced, she managed to form a smile on her face. "But don't worry, everything is alright. Anyway let's go on and head back home."

Her servant pursed his lips momentarily. It was clear that his concern lingered. He opened his mouth, but almost immediately closed it. A few giggles escaped Tamiko's mouth. She couldn't help but find the boy's shyness endearing. Much to her happiness, her laughter managed to prompt the spirit to crack a grin of his own. Having quelled the teen's unspoken fears, she headed toward the school gate. But the moment her foot stepped onto the sidewalk, Caster's demeanor changed. She watched his teeth clench in rage. In the palm of his hand were small flecks of mana. The mana fluttered around in a frantic yet contained manner, almost like a swarm of insects.

She was unable to question his actions when an iron grip managed to snatch onto her arm. The ginger's breath was caught in her throat, unable to react as she was shoved against the stone wall. Tamiko's eyes widened as she whipped her head toward her attacker. It was none other than Lancer. The redheaded woman's piercing blue eyes were glaring at the opposing servant. She opened her mouth but found her words stolen by something sharp. Hazel eyes glanced downward, seeing a small dagger pressed against her neck. It was positioned angled up and pressed near the edge of her jawline, concealed from the view of passersby's. To the average civilian it would seemed the spearwoman was merely resting her hand on the seventeen year-old's shoulder.

"Lancer, let go of her now." Caster hissed quietly.

Lancer's brows lowered, her voice full of bitterness noting "First of all you should be more on guard. You're a fool to leave your Master exposed. If not me, I am certain any other Master or Servant would have done the same thing. Consider yourselves lucky I only want info. Now don't make a scene or I will kill her."

Tamiko's heart pounded frantically. She could feel the fear gathering into a lump in her throat. Turning her attention back on Caster, she swallowed. The girl noticed his tense posture and his purple eyes glancing constantly back and forth between the two. Curling his hand, his weapon appeared in a flash of light.

Raising his staff, he let out a sigh. "Ask your question, but go any further and I'll speak its true name right here..."

The red-head's brows lowered ever so slightly; her lips pressed into a firm frown upon hearing the caster's panicked anger.

"You're bluffing," she responded in a cold tone, "I don't know the first thing about you, servant... but I know that if this one summoned you, you could never go so far."

Caster's breath hitched; his face paling slightly.  
A smirk rose from Lancer's lips. But it didn't remain long, flickering away as she focused back on Tamiko.

"Now I'll only ask this once." she began, pressing the dagger slightly harder against the teen's neck. Any further would result in blood gushing to the ground. "Have you've seen Saito?"

The ginger's eyes widened in surprise. Thinking about it, she hadn't seen Saito seen near the gate at all. Normally he managed to leave the school building around the same time as her. After all, the two were in none of the after school clubs. Searching her mind, the last memory she had of the boy was their class together. He seemed lost in thought as he left the classroom. Under normal circumstances their paths wouldn't cross again until at the end of the school day. Yet his absence left her concerned. With her worries growing, she answered truthfully to the servant.

Lancer remained silent with her hand curling tighter around the dagger's handle. Finally, she stepped back, releasing her captive.  
Tamiko gasped out whilst collapsing on her knees. She could feel Caster's hands propping her up by her arms. Tilting her head upwards, she stared up at her attacker. The fiery haired woman hummed with her eyes closed, sliding her dagger into the sheath on her belt.

"It appears Saito needs me. I shall hasten to his side."

But before the spearwoman could leave, Tamiko spoke up "Wait, is Saito alright?"

For a brief moment she could a sworn she saw concern flicker in the servant's blue eyes. But the teen had no time to confirm as Lancer let out of frustrated sigh, glaring at her in annoyance.

"I swear you're just as bad as him." she grumbled, pinching the bridge of her nose, "Saito is fine, he just wants me to regroup at his home. Don't worry about our little mishap a moment ago, it was a mistake on my part."

Without another word, she walked away; taking a few steps before disappearing in a blue mist.  
Tamiko stared at the spot Lancer once stood, her heart slowing down to steady beats with calm breathing. She turned her head toward Caster to check on him. Much to her surprise, his brows were furrowed with a small frown.

"Caster?" she spoke up.

The white-haired boy rapidly blinked, coming out of his daze.

"Sorry... I... I got lost in thought for a moment." he apologized as he stood up. Caster extended out his hand, allowing his Master to take it. "Anyways we should be getting on home."

"I guess you're right." the ginger sighed, lifting herself up.

Lancer's gaze narrowed whilst watching the Master and Servant duo leave. While she didn't know about Tamiko, there was no doubt in her mind Caster had caught onto her lie. But nonetheless, she was pleased to see the boy would prefer his companion to be as far away from her as possible. A decision she couldn't blame him for; she had attacked without warning. Her thoughts drifted back to her final interactions with Saito, recalling his orders to await further instructions once he found the mystery Master. That had been hours ago, leading her to believe something had happened.

 _"If that girl didn't see him leave, that has to mean he's still on the school premise."_ she thought to herself, _"I'll have to wait for nightfall to search. Don't worry Saito, I'm not going to let you die on my watch."_

She perched herself atop of the building, studying the students passing by down below. If the enemy Master attempted to leave with Saito, she would immediately know. Keeping watch like a hawk, she watched the gate for hours on. Finally the last glimpse of the sun disappeared from view. Night had descended upon Fuyuki City. The servant materialized in her armor and spear in hand. There was no sign of Saito, leading her to believe he was still in the area. Glancing back and force, she carefully surveyed the area. While most of the students had gone home, Lancer didn't wish to deal with any unwelcome guests. Confirming she was indeed alone, she closed her eyes in focus.

A very faint trace of a mana trail reached her senses. Her teeth clenched upon noticing how light it was. She could barely feel the flow. It was almost like a light drizzle from a water tap. The connection was far too weak to follow, filling her with worry. If she wanted to find her Master, she would have to manually search. Turning into spirit form, she phased through the roof. If Saito was still there, surely she would find him in one of the many classrooms. Changing to solid form, the spearwoman took careful steps. The was no sign of a servant's presence in the room.

Lips pressed firmly together, Lancer maneuvered through the row of desks. Suddenly, from a corner of her eye, she saw a shadow darted by. Her teeth clenched; her body jerking sharply the right. The only thing that greeted her was an empty door way. Eyes narrowed, she entered the hallway. Looking to the left and right revealed no intruders. The red-head's shoulders slumped, tension leaving her body momentarily. A creak echoed throughout the hallway. On high alert, Lancer quickly turned sharply on her heel. Up ahead to the left she spotted a classroom door finish sliding open.

 _"My opponent is either sloppy or this is a trap. Only one way to find out."_ she thought with a huff.

Without any hesitation the redhead entered the room. Examining her surroundings, the servant was both surprised and confused to find the space empty. She took another step in the classroom. In that instant, the sound of metal clanking reached her ears. Turning around, she saw a woman with long black hair pulled in a ponytail bun; wearing a green dress and oriental armor. Her face was painted with stern and her eyes closed.

"I cannot let you leave this place alive." the woman threatened in a low tone.

She reached her hand up to the door. As she closed the door, she lifted up her head. Eyelids lifted to reveal determined silver eyes. The wood slid in place, leaving only the small window to show the mysterious warrior run to the left.  
Lancer didn't waste anytime dashing to the door and flinging it back open. She ran out into the empty hallway, turning her head between the two corridors on her sides. But for a split second, she sensed a presence behind her.

Eyes wide in shock, Lancer sharply turned to the right, seeing the warrior lunge toward her with sword withdrawn. Her teeth clenched as she held out her spear, blocking the blow. The two women glared at each other.

 _"There's no way this is the Master, so she has to be a Servant. But then, why didn't I sense her?"_ Lancer thought to herself, _"Caster and Assassin should be the only ones with presence concealment! Unless..."_

She cut her thoughts off with a frustrated sigh.

"Of course," the spearwoman muttered out loud, "You were the one with presence concealment. This whole thing has been nothing but a trap..."

 _A trap I stupidly let my Master walk into._

Her eyes glanced out the window and upon the crescent moon shining above them. She wouldn't fail him for a second time.

Saito groaned out in pain; his senses slowly returning to him. His head felt heavy and his body drained. Struggling slightly, he managed to open his eyes. With a clouded mind he glanced around at his surroundings. Although it was dark, the moonlight was enough for him to see he was still in the dojo. The boy grunted upon his head feeling dizzy, tilting down to see his body had been laid upon a large magic circle, glowing a soft blue.

"So, you're finally awake." a familiar female voice spoke up.

Looking up, he saw Tanaka standing before him. Her green eyes were serious and intense. His gaze trailed a little lower, seeing the teen had rolled up the sleeve of her school uniform. Etched on her arm was none other than her Command Spells, three marks forming what appeared to be an ornate sword.

"I sent off Saber to deal with your Servant." she stated in a stern tone, "So I can ensure we will have no interruptions."

Fighting off his dizziness, Saito pushed himself to sit back on his haunches. His brows furrowed at the casual name drop of the opposing servant class. It was clear to him it wasn't a slip up, rather Tanaka's way of threatening him. Out of all the seven classes, Saber is considered one of the strongest. It would be difficult to gain the upper hand without knowing the true name. So for the moment, all he could do is place his trust in his Lancer.

"If you wanted an audience with me, you could have had asked instead of knocking me out."

A wry smirk formed on the dark-haired girl's face as she chuckled.

"And give up the opportunity to knock a magus down a few pegs, I don't think so." she replied.

Saito sneered at the mention of the duel. The throb in his head served as a constant reminder of the outcome.

"You only won by cheating!" he bitterly noted. "I may not be familiar with the rules of kendo, but there's no way that stunt you pulled was legal!"

Tanaka pursed her lips a moment in thought.

"To be honest, I wasn't fighting at full strength. So I already was breaking the rules." she confessed, "But enough about that, I didn't wake you up so we can talk about the kendo duel. I want to you to give me your Command Spells."

The blue-haired boy raised a brow in surprise. The opposing Master wanted the Command Spells through consent rather than force. In his mind, it would have been more ideal for her to simply cut off his hand and claim the spells as her own. At least, that's what he would have done. His thoughts momentarily drifted back to when he had such an opportunity, The image of the ginger crying out as the cradled the bleeding limb. Saito's heart pang in guilt. He couldn't bare the idea of doing that to Tamiko. Perhaps he was not as bold as his mind would like him to think.

With clenched teeth, he protectively held his marked hand close to his chest. The teen didn't need any words to show he had no intention in giving away his precious possession.  
Upon seeing this, Tanaka let out an annoyed sigh.

"Even now you're still so stubborn." she muttered. The third year silently stomped over to Saito. Her green eyes lacked any of the mischievousness or joy they once carried. "I wanted to take them without waking you up. I thought the binding seal would be a good painless method. Keeps you unconscious and prevents your Servant from finding you." Her fists clenched as her voice grew more colder. "But the seal was interfering with the process, so now I only have only two options left. Either way, I am taking your Command Spells."

Saito's fingers curled. He could feel his family crest thrum lightly. The binding seal drained his mana like a leech. But fortunately, not fast enough to completely drain him. He need to test his abilities, but he didn't want to let Tanaka know.

In an attempt to buy time, he asked "When were you able to identify me as a Master?"

The third year pursed her lips, eyes glancing at the side. It was clear she was mulling over her options. Finally she answered "Since day one. Your mana flow felt like being doused in a cold waterfall. It was obvious all the mana was going somewhere. You weren't using them for spells which left one possibility."

As the girl spoke, Saito slowly spread out his fingertips on the floor. He did his best not to take his gaze off his opponent. If he were to glance down, it would clue in the female magus to his actions. A single digit traced down one of the intricate curves. A peculiar detail caught his attention. Although the seal was continuously draining his mana, it didn't actually contain much of the substance. Momentarily his eyelids lowered. There had to be a reason why the seal needed to drain his mana at a slow and steady rate.

Reopening his eyes, his breath hitched upon noticing Tanaka approaching once more. He needed more time; he had to prevent her from taking his Command Spells.

Digging for conversation starters, the teen asked "What about Katou? Based on our discussion during the duel it's clear you pieced together that she's another Master and Caster is her servant. Should I assume you have already taken her Command Spells?"

The third year's body stiffened upon hearing this. For a split second, her brows furrowed as she broke eye contact.  
Saito was surprised by this. Her reaction was unexpected but accepted none the less. Anything to keep her attention away from his roaming hands. Suddenly the dark-haired teen sharply focused her gaze back on him. Her hands were curled into tight fists.

"Why should you care? She's an enemy Master like me." she hissed, "I don't even know why she's involved in this, she's not like you. She's not a heartless being that fulfills her own goals at the expense of others!"

At the moment, the magic circle changed from a blue to a bright red. The teenage boy gasped in pain, his limbs collapsing underneath him. The seal's draining speed had increased drastically. Black spots danced in his vision. If it kept up he would pass out from mana loss. But fortunately, just as quickly as it changed, the magic circle returned to its blue color. He couldn't help but let out a breath of relief. Weakly lifting up his head, Saito was greeted with a panicked looking Tanaka. Her green eyes were wide with her chest slowly rising and falling with deep breaths.

"Dang it, made me almost kill you there." she muttered, a slight flustered blush tinting her cheeks.

Saito's brows rose in realization. The seal was tied to Tanaka's focus. Rather than the seal draining him, it was the teenage girl herself. His lips pursed, this revelation could benefit him. It was risky, but he could possibly flood the teen's magic circuits, overloading them. This would force her to cut the connection and create an escape route. His shoulders tensed, palms spreading out on the magic circle.

"Enough talk." Tanaka finally spoke up, "You haven't given me consent, meaning I have no choice but to take your Command Spells forcefully."

Reaching into pocket of her brown vest, silently she pulled out a switchblade. Her gaze harden whilst flipping up the blade. The blue-haired boy took in a deep breath. It was now or never. Gathering all his energy, his family crest flared to life. Mana rushed through the connection, flowing directly into the opposing Master. The eighteen year-old screamed in pain whilst falling to her knees. The moment she did so, the magic circle flickered out of existence.

Taking advantage of the distraction, Saito scampered to his feet. His footing stumbled, nearly resulting in him crashing to the floor. Deep ragged breaths escaped from his mouth as he made his way to the door. His stunt had managed to drain more energy than he realized. Daring to glance back, he looked over at the enemy Master. His heart nearly skip a bit at the sight he saw. Tanaka's teeth were fixed into a snarl. Her body was trembling in rage while slowly getting back on her feet. Magic circuits along her arms and legs lit up. Her green eyes seemed to glow in the darkness.

"Seems you have some kicking left in you, guess I should have tied you up too. No matter, you're not getting away." she stated.

Saito inhaled sharply. Gathering what strength he had left, he quickly fled the room.

The moon shone down on two lone figures walking on the sidewalk. Tamiko took in a deep breath, fingers curling around the front of her jacket. Her encounter with Lancer refused to leave her mind. She couldn't understand why the servant gave her a straight answer. Lancer showed cleared distrust since the beginning. It didn't make sense for someone to give away information to a person they were wary of. The anxiety and curiosity ate away at her until she couldn't take it anymore.

"Tamiko, are you sure this is a good idea?" Caster spoke up, "I get you suspect Lancer is hiding something, I do too. But regardless, I don't think it's a good idea to walk into danger without being prepared."

The ginger halted her tracks, standing underneath a lone streetlamp.

"If Saito's in trouble, I just can't stay home and do nothing. I know you asked me to be more careful around Saito, but I still want to make sure he's okay."

The teenage boy rubbed his arm, brows furrowed tightly together.

"But if he's in trouble, there's the chance there's another servant." he admitted, "I don't know if I will be able to protect you both from this new servant and Lancer. She has made it clear that she would take any opportunity to kill you. I don't trust her or Saito. He may have called his servant off last night but he's still an enemy Master, one we'll have to face sooner or later."

A small frown slowly slipped onto Tamiko's face. She didn't want to admit it out loud but she was hesitant at the idea of facing Saito. Although they weren't close friends, acquaintances at best, the thought of fighting him in a possible battle to the death was disturbing. She would rather avoid that scenario if she could. Not only for Saito's sake but Caster's as well. Forming a smile on her face, she grabbed a hold of the teen's hand.

"Don't worry, I trust you to protect me. No matter what happens, we'll get through it together."

The teenage boy's eyes widened in surprise, glancing away briefly. Suddenly, he tackled her to the ground. The seventeen year-old was confused until she saw metal flash before her eyes. The instant she hit the ground, a white sword with a yin and yang symbol stab into the ground near her feet. Her chest heaved in a panic, barely noticing her servant scampering to his feet. As she sat up into a sitting position she could see his gaze was hardened, staring at something off in the distance. Slowly, she turned her head in the same direction. A small gasp managed to escape her lips. Standing across from them was a man with tanned skin and white hair. His gray eyes were stern and narrow. Upon observing, he seemed to carry a mysterious yet strong aura.

Swallowing her fears, she stood up. The ginger glanced over to her companion. She watched as his purple eyes glance toward her before quickly flicking back to the man in red. There was no doubt in her mind they were in the presence of an enemy servant. She noticed the man's lips move as he whispered something softly. In a flash of blue light, twin black and white swords appeared in his hands.

With clenched teeth, Caster summoned forth his staff whilst shouting "Tamiko, get back!"

He slammed his weapon out in front him and it began to glow green.

"Nheyl Heqyer!"

Flickering mana flew off the wood like insects, forming a shield in front of the servant. The opponent in red dashed forward at inhuman speeds, throwing out both of his swords whilst doing do. The blades clashed against the magical barrier, cracking once and then shattering the second time. Caster's eyes were wide in disbelief. Tamiko didn't even have time to command the teen, watching as the man in red smash his boot against the boy's chest. Her companion cried out as he was sent flying, landing in a tumble upon the ground.

"Caster!" she cried out.

Without thinking she tried to run over to her fallen comrade. Unfortunately she found her path blocked by this mysterious opponent. Her blood ran cold with her body frozen in fear. All she could do was stare up at the servant that towered over her. Gathering up what nerves she had, a determined gaze formed on her face. She wasn't convinced she could take on this spirit, but she was willingly to try anything. After all, she promised Caster they would fight together. Suddenly, the man's stern expression faltered. She saw his eyes softened, his brows raise in a shocked expression.

Before the teen could ponder the reason for this, she heard Caster shout "Hevshek Apel!"

In that instant, her vision blackened. Tamiko's arms began to flail around as she took a few stumbling steps backwards. Her eyes were open, yet she couldn't see any of her surroundings. Without warning she felt a pair of arms brush against her back and legs. The seventeen year-old yelped as she found herself lifted off of the ground. Trying her best to figure out what was going on, she relied on her senses. The ginger could feel wind rushing against her face and through her hair and the sound of heavy breathing.

Going off of common sense, she had to guess that Caster was fleeing whilst carrying her. A loud gust filled her ears as the teen's arms jerked her back. She was able to make out the sound of the boy's panicked hiss. The enemy servant must be pursuing them and had attacked. But much to her surprise, she heard a voice she didn't recognize.

"You dare attack my prey?! I was prepared to appear in a glorious and grand entrance, yet you dared to attack him before I could lift a single finger!" an arrogant male voice shouted.

The voice grew quieter the farther Caster ran.

The last thing she could barely make out were the words "You dare ignore me sand rat!"

She remained silent, hearing only her servant's breathing and footfalls as her vision slowly returned. Blinking her eyes, she realized her cheek was firmly pressed up against the teen's chest. Her body was gently cradled in his arms. Knees folded and hands laying atop her stomach. Although she understood the circumstances, she couldn't help but blush. Finally she cleared her throat. Caster tilted his head down toward her, jolting in surprise to see her face blood red.

"I think... I think it's alright to set me down again. I can see." she muttered.

"Oh right." he muttered, gently setting his Master on her feet, "Also sorry for back there. The downside of using Shrouding Darkness is that it blinds everyone in the general area, so you were affected by it too. Unfortunately it seemed to only affect that servant for a few seconds, but it was enough time for me to get you away from him."

Tamiko pursed her lips with a frown. The intimidating aura from the man in red still lingered with her.

"Caster, that servant we saw, what class do you suppose he was?"

The white-haired teen folded his arms over his chest, brows furrowed in thought.

"I don't know, but he was very strong. He didn't seem like a Berserker, but based on those swords he was using, he's undoubtedly the summoned Saber."

Tamiko's hands clutched tightly. If the other servants were just as dangerous as the man in red, she was now more worried about Saito. Determined to save the boy, she urged her companion to continue on to the school. It was crucial they find out what had happened. The two walked in relative silence. Occasionally, Tamiko glanced back at Caster. She took in his weathered appearance. A few cuts and bruises were alight with blue glowing mana. This sight worried her. He had taken quite the beating, would he ready to fight should a servant be waiting at the school? She did not know the answer to this question.

It wasn't long till the two found themselves in front of the school gates. Tamiko took in a deep breath. She took a single step forward, but was stopped by Caster speaking up "Tamiko wait!" She paused, turning toward her servant. He was visibly disturbed, his body tense.

"I almost failed you. It was an miracle we even got away from that servant and even then I had to use a tactic that harmed you as well." His teeth grinding together. "I haven't even fully recovered and we'll be going against another servant. I don't want you to die."

The seventeen year-old stared silently at the spirit.

"To be honest, I'm scared too." she confessed, "I still want to save Saito but I'm still trembling. I was useless back there. I wasn't able to help you at all and I had us promise to be equals in this war. I don't want you to die just because I was a deadweight."

The white-haired boy didn't utter a word, his eyes full of thought. Finally with a smile, his clothes glowed blue, transforming into his robes.

"Looks like we both got our work cut out for us. Ready when you are Master."


	8. Chapter 8 - Saber

Chapter 8

A loud crack filled the room as Lancer smashed through the sliding door. Her feet scraped across the ground, splintering the wooden floor easily. Teeth clenched as she stabbed her spear into the floor, preventing her body from going any further back. Her head tilted up to see Saber lunging toward her with the raised sword. Her blue eyes darted to the left, noticing the nearby desk. Acting fast, the spearwoman swept out her leg and sent the table flying toward her opponent. The moment the object met the sword, the blade easily sliced it in half.

Seeing this, Lancer sucked in a sharp breath and rolled backward. The blade slammed into the ground, only managing to catch a few strands of hair. Her body came to a stop positioned in a crouch; one hand balancing her upright and the other clinging tightly onto her lance. She let out a mighty yell as she thrust out her spear, aiming for the swordswoman's neck. Saber's silver eyes flickered toward the weapon, quickly turning to intercept it. Blade and polearm clashed, intersecting with each other.

 _"She's fast,"_ Lancer thought to herself before smashing her boot against the servant's chest, _"but not fast enough."_

Saber tumbled across the floor, smacking into a stack of desks that immediately fell on top of her.

The red-head dashed over to the wreckage. But when she shoved away one of the desks, no one was there. Her body stiffened. Very slowly she turned her head back and forth, searching the room. Suddenly Lancer's senses were filled with the other servant's presence behind her. She spun around just in time to see Saber lunging toward her with sword withdrawn. With only mere seconds, she thrust out her polearm, deflecting the blade. Her eyes widened briefly as the sharp metal grazed across her cheek, leaving a bleeding cut. But the swordswoman did not stop to turn to face her enemy, instead, she disappeared into the shadows.

Now ready for opponent, Lancer held tightly onto her weapon, carefully studying her surroundings. From the corner of her eye, she noticed a dark silhouette dash by. It only took a few seconds for her senses to be flooded with the servant's presence once again. With clenched teeth, she turned to see Saber darting out from the shadows with sword withdrawn. The redhead held out her spear in both hands, successfully blocking the attack. And just like the previous time, the swordswoman dashed back into the shadows. The pattern repeated itself. Lancer watched as her opponent disappeared and reappeared from the dark surroundings, ready with a swift strike each time.

 _"I hear her blade drawn and her presence is revealed, which makes it easy enough to block the attack,"_ Her brows knitted tightly together as she momentarily paused in her thoughts. _"but something's off about the order. First I sense her presence, then I hear the blade, instead of detecting her because I heard blade drawn. She could draw it quieter given her technique, but it seems like its an afterthought...as if by the moment it's drawn I'll already know where she is..."_

Blue eyes narrowed as the fiery-haired servant backed up near one of the walls. No doubt in her mind Saber would be ready with sword in hand.

 _"In order to conceal her presence, her sword must be sheathed."_ Lancer noted to herself, _"So she specializes in that of ambush, not too different from that of guerilla warfare."_ Her lips curved into a slight smirk. _"Clever I have to admit. Using the shadows of the classroom to go unnoticed, it's like how my men and I used the forest to ambush the enemy knights. So if I want to beat her, I need to take away her advantage."_

She glanced over at the door she smashed through earlier. The school cafeteria was an ideal fighting ground. An open area, that meant fewer places for Saber to hide. The only problem was to get there safely. Lancer knew it was a risk to traverse the hallways, less room to utilize her speed which would leave her open to attack. But regardless, it was a risk she was willing to take. Lancer took in a deep breath, calming herself whilst steadying her feet. It was now or never. Without hesitation, she hit the ground running.

Her feet skid right as she made a sharp turn in the hallway, preventing herself from colliding into the wall. Up ahead she could see her destination, the stairway. As she took off, she glanced behind her to see Saber quickly pursuing her. The sword-wielding servant jumped up on the wall, slamming her foot down hard to catapult her body. Lancer's eyes widened, watching as the dark-haired woman constantly leap off the walls, using the small space to rapidly speed toward her. She jumped to the side of the blade's swing, screeching to a halt.

The two servants stood across from each other, weapons tightly clenched. Lancer pressed her lips firmly together. Without warning, she charged toward her opponent. Saber narrowed her eyes, moving to hold the sword in both hands with feet spread apart. But instead of trying to attack, the redhead stabbed her polearm into the ground. The momentum sent her flying over the baffled servant. She landed on the ground in a tumble before stopping on her knees. Glancing back at Saber, she flashed her a smirk before taking off running again. While her stunt had gotten her away from the swordswoman, unfortunately, she was no longer heading for the stairs.

 _"Just got to find another way down to the cafeteria. The school isn't too big so finding an alternative route should be easy."_

With this in mind, Lancer sprinted down the hallway. It only took her a few minutes to reach the end of the corridor. But much to her frustration, she was met with a dead end. The only thing in the area was a single window and two classroom doors. An annoyed grunt escaped Lancer's mouth. She turned around, preparing to dash back from whence she came. But she never got the chance as Saber collided into her. The two servants crashed through the window. The spearwoman hissed upon Saber twisting her body facing downward and her arms pulled tightly back. It was obvious the swordswoman intended to have her opponent crash face-first into the ground.

"I refuse", Lancer snarled, bashing her head against Saber's, "to go down that easy!"

An audible crack could be heard. The dark-haired woman jerked back, one of her hands reaching up to cover her smashed nose. But to do this, she had to release one of the opponent's arm. Taking advantage of her free arm, Lancer stabbed her spear into the wall. Wood splintered around the metal point as it dragged downward. While not stopping the fall, it did slow it down to allow the redhead to plan out her next move. Spotting a nearby window, the spearwoman hurled both herself and enemy spirit into it. Glass shattered as the two tumbled into the school library.

Recovering from the tumble, Lancer pushed herself up on her knees. Recalling her enemy, she glanced over at Saber lying not too far from her. The silver-eyed servant pushed with a single hand. Her mouth was fixed in a sneer as blood dripped from her nose. Her gaze briefly flicker to the bookshelf before slamming her shoulder into it, sending it toppling over. The spearwoman gasped in surprise, lifting her hands to prevent herself from being crushed. Her muscles pulsed, a mighty yell filling the room. With little to no effort, she shoved the bookshelf to the side.

Getting to her feet, Lancer looked around to see no sign of Saber.

"Back to square one." she sighed, readying her spear.

Elsewhere in the school, Saito ran as fast as his shaky legs could carry him. He found himself dashing down the locker corridors. Glancing over his shoulder, he could see Tanaka still hot on his trail. He couldn't help but suck in a sharp breath. His mana hadn't quite recharged as much as he like, yet he could see no escape from his situation without using his magecraft. Stopping in his tracks, the magic circuits along his arms lit up. With the wave of the hand, Saito managed to fill the hallway with smoke.

Taking advantage of the low visibility, the teenage boy dashed over to one of the lockers. Slamming his palm against the metal, he sent out vibrations that jolted the door open. He quickly jumped into the locker and closed it. His heart thudded painfully as he shut off all his magic circuits. The smoke slowly cleared, leaving him to swallow hard. The echoes of footfalls filled the classroom, indicating Tanaka was no longer running.

"I know you're still in here Saito!" she called out, "You can't get far in your current state."

 _"Damn it, I'm really beginning to hate that insight of hers."_ he thought to himself, _"Not to mention her strength as a magus is proving to be troublesome."_ His brows furrowed as he tried to recall his previous encounters with her. Anything that could give him a clue to her potential. Sorting through his memories, Saito didn't notice any time Tanaka explicitly used any kind of magecraft aside for the seal. But magic circles were common knowledge to any magus, it didn't give him an idea as to what her style was like.

His teeth clenched whilst he could hear the footfalls growing closer. time was running short. Thinking back, one other encounter came to mind. The image of the teenage girl glaring at him with the magic circuits along her legs and arms lighting up.

 _"Come to think of it, Tanaka was able to run abnormally fast. She easily caught up to me despite my headstart. She wouldn't be capable of that unless..."_

As he pondered his eyes narrowed slightly.

 _"Time manipulation. I've heard of an ability that lets you square the time of an area, allowing you to reach those speeds. From an outside perspective, it would just seem like she's moving faster than normal. Did I see something like that during our duel? The final strike hit with abnormal power, so she must've been using it even back then."_ A frown flickered on Saito's face. _"If its that, I wouldn't have been able to surprise her so easily though."_

At that moment things clicked in place.

"So if shes faster but has normal reaction speed, what if it's just enhancing the movement itself. What did that good for nothing bodyguard say about enhancement all those years ago?" Saito frowned. "That must be it, since it also fits the strength of the kendo strike."

That was why he sensed the strong flow of mana during his duel. He immediately felt like an idiot. All the warning signs were in place. The sudden presence of a servant, the Command Spells reacting, and the mana. Everything pointing toward the inner workings of a trap. One he still managed to fall into.

 _"Some Master I'm turning out to be. Now I'll be lucky if I can even get out of this alive."_

Peeking through the holes of the locker, he could see a glimpse of black hair come into view. On instinct, he inhaled deeply through his nose. Upon doing this, he noticed Tanaka jolt at the sound.

 _"Okay, so she uses her magecraft to amplify her body."_ His eyes widened. _"But then will this work? If she enhances her senses as well then my cover here is already blown, and I've trapped myself even within the greater trap..."_

Saito allowed his magic circuits to flare back to life. Pressing his palms against his neck, he amplified the vibrations, creating a glass-shattering shriek. Over the slight ringing of his ears, Saito heard Tanaka cry out. Shoving open the locker door, he saw the girl on her knees, holding a hand up against one of her bleeding ears.

Wasting no time, he ran down the hall. Up ahead he spotted the entrance to the cafeteria. It was an open area, but the tables could provide good cover. Within seconds, he reached his destination. But before he could duck for cover, he felt a strong flow of mana behind him. The blue-haired teen didn't have time to react. The world spun as he tumbled across the floor. When he stopped on his back, he found himself staring up at the older student. Saito moved to get up, but Tanaka was faster. He grunted as the girl pinned him to the floor, holding his hands on either side of his head and straddling his chest.

"You... you just keep wanting to make this harder for yourself." she breathed out, exhaustion clearly showing in her voice.

"As opposed to you taking my Command Spells? Surrendering my Command Spells means surrendering in this war, and I refuse to do that!"

"Again, again you're forcing me to resort to drastic measures." Tanaka snarled. Her fingers curled tightly around the boy's wrists."I didn't want to dirty my hands more than I have to, but I suppose I have no choice." Her gaze hardened as her magic circuits on her arms glowed upon enhancing their strength. She moved Saito's arms where she pinned them above his head with a single hand.

Saito bit his lip as he watched the dark-haired girl dig around in her jacket, pulling out a pocket knife.

"If I'm right, I should cut through your wrist like butter. That is if the blade manages to hold." Tanaka noted with a slight smile.

Seeing the glimmering blade, Saito couldn't help but bitterly think _"Really was hoping she left that forgotten on the floor earlier. She mentioned there's the chance the blade could break, but I rather not leave my fate in the hands of lady luck."_

In one last attempt to escape, the seventeen-year-old tried to wriggle his body. Unfortunately, the third-year student proved to be heavy. Without his arms to shove her off his chest, he was left utterly defenseless. His blue eyes stared up in slight fear whilst the blade neared his wrists. Suddenly, a loud bang filled the air. Tilting his head upward, he saw an armored woman with a sword crash through the cafeteria doors. She collided into the tables, breaking them on impact. Then, much to his happiness, he was greeted with the sight of familiar auburn hair. Now standing in the cafeteria's entrance was none other than his lancer servant.

"That's payback for earlier!" Lancer shouted, "Doesn't feel so good when it happens to you huh?"

Never had Saito been more happier to see the woman with the fiery fighting spirit.

 _"She actually did it, she managed to come for me."_

Wasting no time, he called out for his servant.

The spirit turned her head, seeing her Master pinned down. Her eyes narrowed. In a snap, she crossed the distance between the two.  
Tanaka's head lifted, her face paling a bit. Saito could feel the grip holding his arms down lessen. This action puzzled him. Was she shifting her enhances again? He never got an answer as his servant collided her shoulder harshly against the girl's chest. Tanaka tumbled backward before her back slammed against one of the cafeteria tables. Her eyes were squeezed shut in pain and magic circuits around her torso glowed softly underneath her shirt.

Lancer lowered down into a crouch; her spear held close to her chest. Within a blink of an eye, she darted forward. Thrusting out her weapon, the tip was mere centimeters from piercing flesh. But before the hit could land, her attack was deflected by a gleaming blade. Knocked off balance a bit, Lancer jumped back. Her teeth clenched in frustration. Shielding the enemy master was none other than Saber.  
The swordswoman had panic and worry lingering in her eyes.

Looking back over her shoulder, she asked "Master are you alright, did I make it in time?"

Tanaka grunt as she pulled herself up with the help of the table before nodding. She glanced over at the weakened master and his servant. Her brows furrowed, silently tugging up her already rolled up sleeve more.

"So, you got the Lancer servant." she noted in a neutral tone, "A swift one at that. Had my Saber been one second late that spear would have met with my heart." The woman in oriental armor dropped her gaze in guilt slightly at her Master's words. "But I don't need to worry. As they say, fight fire with fire." Tanaka lifted her arm with Command Spells and they began to glow.

"Saber by the power of my Command Spell, you are to defeat Lancer with faster combat!"

One of the marks disappeared while a red glow covered Saber's body. Lancer snarled with her grip tightening around her weapon.

"You want to get my Master, you'll have to kill me first." Saber's silver eyes narrowed as she replied "A sentiment we both seem to share."

Without any hesitation, the two clashed. Saito pulled himself over to one of the cafeteria tables. Shaky breaths slipped from his lips. While he was relieved his servant arrived, what concerned him was if he had enough mana to sustain her. Glancing over at the battle, he watched as Saber swung her sword with ferocity. An interesting thing he took note of was her stance. The legs were not spread apart like how he'd seen Tanaka exhibit during their kendo duel. Rather she always had one knee slightly bent, as if she were throwing her entire weight into the swing.

 _"It must be to prevent knockback. Like what happened to Lancer earlier. She bends her knee to keep herself braced. She had to have seen many battles. Is she a legendary duelist?"_ he pondered to himself.

He was snapped out of his thoughts by a yell. Focusing his gaze on his servant, he noticed her now holding one of her hands over a bleeding stomach. Panic filled him at seeing his servant injured. Gathering up what mana he could, he sent it toward his servant. His head spun with dizziness. It was dangerous to try to heal his servant when he was dangerously low on mana. But he couldn't afford to let her die, as her death meant his own. The wound on the auburn-haired woman started to close off.

Intending to finish the job, Saito focused harder. But suddenly, his servant shouted, "Save your mana ya glaekit eejit!"

Eyes snapping wide open, he managed to see Lancer hold up her spear to block the sword's downward strike. The wound hadn't managed to heal completely.

"Lancer, you can't expect to fight with a wound like that! I can heal you, just shut up and keep fighting Saber!" he stated, his face red from being flustered.

The spearwoman groaned in annoyance, as she shoved the sword away "The wound would be the least of your worries if I disappear on ya. Sides, I've been through tougher scrapes than this. Just leave it to me, I'm not going to fail you again!"

Saito was stunned by his lancer's words. He hadn't imagined his servant would be so concerned for him, putting his health above hers. It was true if he ran out of mana then she would have nothing else to sustain her. But despite that, he had thought she would ignore that risk in favor of more battlefield advantages. After all, she said it herself, dishonorable tactics earned her victory when she was alive. Could it be she cared more for allies than he realized? Biting his lip, he focused his gaze on the two dueling spirits.

Lancer hissed when the blade bit through her leather gauntlet. She jumped back only to find herself blocking another attack from Saber. The woman was too far fast now, giving her no breathing room. Every attempt she tried to make distance only resulted in that gleaming silver slicing at her. Lancer blocked another swing and twisted her weapon, catching the swordswoman's wrist. Saber yelped out in pain, her arm turned downward into an awkward position.

 _"I have the upper hand, I just need t-"_ the redhead thought to herself.

Suddenly her vision of the world spun before her back slammed on the ground. Tilting her head back, she quickly learned that Saber had tossed her. The woman in oriental armor already had her sword raised ready for a stab. Sucking in a sharp breath, Lancer rolled out of the way. Her teeth clenched feeling the metal slice through the chain-mail and into her arm.

 _"Any slower and that would have been my heart."_

She had no time to recover as her opponent was already charging forward. No longer was the careful and calculated movement from before. All her moves were easy to read. But that was no help, not when she was too fast to counter. Refusing to give up, Lancer's grip tightened around her spear. Her blue eyes blazed with determination as she let out a battle cry. Adrenaline pumped through her body, pushing her forward toward the enemy. Spear and sword clashed once more.

Rapid footsteps echoed on the cold floor. Two sets running along the corner of a hallway. Caster never had to look back as long as he could hear them trotting behind him. Aside from that, and the distant sound of clashing metal the school was quiet. Every intersection the two stopped, struggling to hear which direction it was coming from before continuing on. The white-haired teen narrowed his eyes, recognizing the angry yells of Lancer.

"Seems I was correct, Lancer and Saito have encountered one of the other summoned servants."

"If there's another servant then Saito really was in trouble! We got to help him!" Tamiko exclaimed.

She started to run down the hallway toward the direction of the sounds, but she was stopped by her servant. He had prevented her from going any further by grabbing a hold of her arms. "Tamiko, you can't just rush into there!" He turned the girl around to face him. "You were nearly killed by the last servant we faced! I know you're worried about Saito, but what good will you do him if you're dead? I made a vow to protect you in this war and protect you I shall."

The ginger brow's tightened, confusion painted on her face. Caster sighed at the expression he was receiving. In truth, he still appreciated her sentiment to be equals in the war. Although, he hadn't realized how truly ill-prepared his Master had been. She truly was thrust into a battle she had no business in. But despite this, the servant didn't wish to leave. Even if the girl was a complete novice, unaware of the horrors that lay in store, he still wished to repay her kindness.

 _"I'm fully dedicated. Just like then, no matter how tough things will get, this will be the path I take."_

He was stirred from his thoughts by a hand grabbing his arm. Blinking his eyes, he found Tamiko staring up at him.

"I can never forgive myself if I leave him for dead." she managed to whisper out, "He saved me. Please, Caster, let me save him."

Caster bit his lip hard. It didn't feel like it was a good idea to let a defenseless master rush into battle. But the girl was stubborn, her kindness pushing her ever forward. Thinking about it, Tamiko's kind nature was starting to unnerve him. What seemed natural at first was starting to come off as inhuman. He sighed as he closed his eyes in thought. There was little he could do to stop her, not with two servants nearby.

"Alright, I should be able to buy you enough time to grab Saito and run." he finally decided, "But should you run into trouble, do not hesitate to call out for me. I will hasten to your side immediately."

The ginger sighed, beaming with a smile.

"Thank you, Caster."

Without another word, the two raced down the hall. And with every step, they could hear the sound of combat grew louder and louder. Caster threw a sidelong glance at his Master, questioning her decision once again. Why was she rushing to save a boy that she barely knows? It's expected and good to repay a favor, but this was simply discarding all concern for self-preservation. Tamiko... she was the kind of person to jump into the latter headfirst. It was frustrating. What if the boy needed no rescuing, and their appearance only angered him? His Master never considered that possibility, choosing instead to rush ahead blindly and expect events to fall into place. Even now, her face was expressionless; her eyes pointed forward in a near-unblinking stare. As if... rather than it being some kind of personal desire, there was an instinctual need or a drive in her body to help him, something she wouldn't be able to stop no matter how hard she tried.

Despite his worries continuing to linger, he pushed them aside. The mystery over his master's mental state could be answered later. Right now the more important thing was keeping her alive. Looking up ahead, he could see the cafeteria door. The sounds of battle were now loudly ringing in his ears. As he opened the door, he managed to see Lancer sliding back with her teeth tightly clenched. Shoving her backward, much to his shock was a woman wielding a sword.

 _"Wait, a sword?! She's not the summoned saber servant is she?!"_ he thought as his face paled, _"No she couldn't be, we already encountered the saber servant. He couldn't have been Assassin, considering I had seen her fleeing the day Tamiko summoned me. And that man's skill with the blade was too good to not be a Saber. This woman is the Berserker without a doubt then, which is why that lancer is getting pushed back so fiercely! No matter, I will deal with her all the same."_

Turning toward Tamiko, he whispered "Are you ready Master?"

The teenage girl nodded her head, replying "Yes. On the count of three, I'll dash in to find Saito. Make sure we go unnoticed. I'll call out to you once Saito and I are in the clear or if I bump into the other Master."

His lips tightened. For some reason, he couldn't shake the feeling of this being a terrible idea. But regardless, he would continue onward. He took in deep breaths, managing to sync up with each count of a number. One, his eyes hardened with determination. Two, mana began to gather at his fingertips with his clothes rustling softly. The female servants in battle had not taken any notice of him. Three.

"Medverh!"

From his outstretched hand came a burst of flame. The moment he attacked, Tamiko had already dashed away from his side in search of Saito. He watched as the two servants before him immediately took note of the flaming inferno speeding toward them. The swordswoman gasped as she jumped back, prompting Lancer to do the same. The fireball collided with a table, scorching it black. The woman in oriental armor narrowed her eyes at him, her sword held steady before her.

"So you're the Caster servant. I must admit, it's surprising yet not unexpected that you have appeared here tonight." she said.

"Yet I'm the opposite!" Lancer snarled, her spear pointed toward the white-haired teen. "You brainless walloper! I thought after I attacked the lassie that you knew better than to step foot here. But clearly, I overestimated ya. Yer both aff yer heid!"

Caster paid no attention to the angry Scottish insults. Instead, his focus was on the swordswoman. If she was the summoned Berserker, he needed to keep his guard up. Berserkers were known for their immense strength. While a servant already possessed inhuman strength, a Berserker exceeded that greatly. Though unfortunately, that strength was given in exchange for sanity.

"But I must ask," the Berserker spoke up, drawing Caster's attention "I do find it dishonorable to have this battle turn into a two against one."

"Oh god, not again with this honor crap. I hear enough of it from my own Master!" Lancer grumbled.

The silver-eyed woman directed a sharp gaze toward the spear-wielding servant.

"Do not misunderstand me. I only prefer to fight honorably. I am not opposed to breaking that code. I will go to any lengths to protect my Master." she replied.

The auburn-haired servant sneered, her body lowering slightly into a crouch. She looked ready to pounce at any second.

"You will not need to worry about." Caster stated, "I have no attention allying myself with Lancer. So it would be a three-way battle."

Upon hearing this, Lancer stared with her brows raised in surprise. But it didn't last long, as it was quickly replaced with a dark smirk.

"So you aren't as dumb as I thought. Good, because there was no way I would work with ya either. No enemy servant is an ally of mine."

Caster only nodded his head. It was a war after all. Any alliances forged would eventually be broken as only one could claim the grail. He was about to ready to attack until he sensed panic from his Master. Turning his head, he was greeted with the sight of Tamiko across the room. Her face was pale and her body trembling. He could see his Master was staring forward at something. Curious as to what had the girl disturbed, his eyes drifted to the left.

The breath in his throat hitched upon seeing Tanaka. Her expression was unreadable; a mixture of shock and anger. Tamiko's upperclassman friend was an enemy Master? Caster hated himself for not realizing it sooner. She had been far too interested in his appearance. Tamiko hadn't found the girl's behavior to be strange so he never questioned it. But then again, Tamiko was also the same girl that had rushed defenselessly into battle. Suddenly, his thoughts were cut off by a yell. Lancer charged forward, the spearhead scraping across the ground. Caster quickly lunged out of the way of the attack.

 _"I'll worry about that other master later, right now I still have my hands full."_

His staff glowed blue as mana flowed through the ancient wood. Making sure he had enough distance between the two servants, he smashed the staff against the ground. Cracks began to form with a yellow light seeping forth from it. In that instant, dust started to rise from the floor. It clumped together into a thick cloud of dirt. As if it took a life on its own, it surged toward the two servants. The closer it drew, the more dense it became. They had no time to dodge as the dust cloud passed through their bodies. Lancer hissed with her knees bent; her free hand clutching at her chest. The woman in oriental armor coughed harshly, prompting some blood to trickle forth from her mouth.

"Tsk. So you're the type who would attack someone from the inside then, sorcerer?" she said, wiping away the blood from her lip. "Is even this armor of mine too much for you to overcome?"

Caster moved his staff, now wielding it in both of his hands similar to that of a spear.

"It's not lethal if that's what you're wondering. Only one spell in my arsenal can steal away the breath of life. I only ever used it once in my lifetime, and I intend to keep it that way. No, this is a way to even odds a bit. As a Caster, my strength and speed is no match for you both. But hopefully, my spell has given me at least a fighting chance."

"Tch, then your efforts are in vain. I took you down once, I can easily do so again." Lancer sneered.

Without warning, she threw her spear. Having no time to summon his shield spell, the white-haired teen jumped to the side. The airborne weapon sailed past him, centimeters from his face. But when he turned to face his opponent once more, the spearwoman was already lunging toward him with her dagger unsheathed. He had no time to dodge, resulting in the two tumbling to the ground. His staff was knocked out of his hands, sliding a few feet away from him. With clenched teeth, he latched both of his hands around Lancer's wrists. His eyes were focused on the dagger dangerously close to his face.

The auburn-haired woman humphed, forcing the blade closer to his face.

"Your little trick is nothing but a scratch to me. Even weakened I'm still stronger than you." she smirked.

Caster tilted his head back, looking over at the staff that lay out of reach. The wooden weapon that powered his spells; a major disadvantage not to have in his grasp. The teen wasn't completely useless though, he could still cast a weaker variation of his magecraft. But unfortunately, that required a free hand, both of which were occupied with holding off his attacker. If he were to let go, there's a chance that Lancer might use the dagger to go for his throat. He would be rendered helpless if he was unable to recite his spells. The blade grew closer. Caster nervously bit his lip. His strength wasn't enough to hold off Lancer. But then, he felt a strong source of mana coming from above. Glancing past Lancer, he managed to see a glint of silver. His breath hitched. Immediately he slammed his knee into the spearwoman and kicked her whilst rolling to the side. The two separated just in time for the Berserker to fall from the ceiling, her blade loudly clanging against the ground.

"Appears I've become sloppy." the swordswoman mutter, standing back up.

Caster let out a sigh of relief as he picked up his staff.

 _"Don't think Lancer was expecting me to have some experience with physical combat."_ he thought to himself, _"But it still won't do much good against her, she has far more experience than I ever did. Well, at least it's effective as a last-ditch effort."_

His eyesight focused on the woman in oriental armor. He found it strange. When her blade collided with the floor, it hardly did any damage. While his spell did weaken her, he knew there was no way he could steal away all of her strength.

Curious for answers, he spoke up "You say you've become sloppy, but I have a hard time believing that. You have to be holding back. Why do you refuse to show your true strength, Berserker?"

Much to his surprise, the Berserker stared at him in shock. Puzzlement was clearly painted on her face. He didn't understand until he heard grunting. Turning his head, he saw Lancer grumbling as she sheathed her dagger and summoned her spear back into her hand.

"Clearly you're even dumber than I thought. She's no Berserker, she's the summoned Saber servant! For crying out loud if she was a Berserker this room would have been left in shambles!"

Caster felt like his heart stopped. That couldn't be possible. The Saber servant couldn't be the dark-haired woman standing before him. If she was the summoned Saber, then he couldn't help but wonder about his earlier encounter. Suddenly, like a knife, his senses were flooded by another source of mana. The flow was strong, building up to a near intense point. Following the flow, his gaze was directed toward a window. Standing in front of the glass pane was Tamiko with a weakened Saito, crying out for a fleeing Tanaka. At that moment, realization struck him. With the two servants no longer his concern, he dashed toward his Master.

"Tamiko!" he cried out.

He managed to shove the girl to the side before his vision was blinded by light. Pain ripped through his chest, dangerously close to his heart. He coughed, thick liquid sputtering from his lips. The sounds of his Master crying out his name barely reached his ears. When his vision returned, he could now see a large silver arrow in his chest.

As he collapsed to the ground, he managed to weakly whisper out "Archer."


	9. Chapter 9 - Rider

Chapter 9

At the count of three, Tamiko took off running. Behind her, she could hear her servant utter an incantation which was immediately followed by roaring flames. He already drew attention off her like it was agreed upon. Now all that was left for her was to find Saito and flee with him. She searched around the tables, seeking any sign of the blue-haired teen. Suddenly, a loud bang drew her attention. Turning her head, she managed to see Saito weakly scrambling behind a table that had fallen over. Relief washed over her instantly; he was still alive.

She was about to dash over to him until she heard a familiar voice say "Katou?"

In that instant, Tamiko felt her blood run cold. Slowly, she turned around to face the owner of the voice. Standing across from her with magic circuits glowing was her best friend, Aki Tanaka.

Shock was painted on the third-year student's face. But it didn't last long, morphing into disappointment. She let out a sigh, arms slightly slumped at her sides.

"I really was hoping you wouldn't show up tonight."

The ginger's mouth could only hang open. A million thoughts were racing through her mind as she took a step back.

"Tanaka-senpai, you're a Master? Don't tell me... don't tell me you're the reason why Saito-kun didn't show up after school. Please don't tell me you're the one to do this to him." Tamiko whispered out, pausing to swallow hard.

Tanaka pursed her lips, a speck of remorse lingering in her eyes. She inhaled deeply as her face stiffened. Any semblance of kindness or playfulness that Tamiko recognized from her friend completely gone, leaving being only hardened features accompanied by a cold gaze.

"You know I was never one to sugarcoat things Katou." the dark-haired teen finally answered, her green eyes staring sternly at her, "I am one of the seven Masters in the Holy Grail War. Yes, I did attack Saito. He is my enemy, as I am his, in this war. So I decided to act before he could."

Tamiko's hands clutched at her chest. No, she refused to believe it. She knew Saito had warned her of the lengths Masters would go to win the war, but she had thought they were only a last resort. She never did consider they would immediately choose to bring harm to others. Yet the worst thought of all, was the realization that her best friend had lowered to such lengths with no hesitation. The ginger bit down on her lip hard; her body beginning to tremble.

"No." she whispered out, "No, you're not. You may not be friends with Saito but he's still a student from our school! You can't tell me you would hurt him just to win a fight!"

Tanaka clenched her teeth before exclaiming "If I didn't he would! Do you honestly think Saito isn't willing to harm, let alone kill another Master?! Open your eyes, Katou! This is a war, not a game! What were you expecting? Did you rush here thinking the fighting would just stop because you asked kindly? No! The world of magi is built on bloodshed and selfishness, where we're taught to strive for our own goals and eliminate anyone in our way. That's the world you have stumbled into."

The seventeen year-old was left speechless. Her eyes squeezed firmly shut as her body began to shake violently. At the back of her mind, voices lingered. The sound of a young girl whimpering and a man speaking in a cold tone. She quickly shoved those noises to the dark depths of her consciousness before opening her eyes.

"If that's what it means to be a magus then..." She paused, taking in a shaky breath, "Then I think I want nothing to do with them! From what I gather, magi are terrible people that won't hesitate to hurt or kill me. Honestly, are these people that desperate all for a single wish? If they are, I think I'm really beginning to hate what this war stands for."

For a moment, Tanaka was surprised. Her hardened features softened slightly.

"But still," the ginger continued, "Neither you or Saito are like that. So, that can't be true."

But before either could speak up, a familiar male voice spoke up "This is exactly why you being a part of this annoys me."

Both girls turned toward the source of the voice. Standing in front of the window with a hand on his stomach was Saito. His skin was no longer as pale as it once was and his movement less shaky. "You're so naive to think I wouldn't treat Tanaka as my opponent. There can only be one victor and I refuse to sacrifice the grail for her sake. I only showed mercy on you because you were clueless about the whole thing so it wouldn't feel right to take you out at the time. Tanaka though is an experienced magus, so I have no reason to hold back."

Tamiko's body froze at the boy's words. It couldn't be true, it _couldn't_. Would he have let Lancer kill her had she known about the Grail War? She didn't want to believe it. Saito seemed nothing like the monsters Tanaka described as a magus. Neither of them seemed like that in fact. As much as Tamiko wanted to believe this, the scene before her very eyes said otherwise.

"Now, I'm only going to give you this one warning Katou-san." he threatened as magical energy began to gather in his hand, "Stay out of my way!"

Tamiko had no time to think. She had already dashed over and grabbed the blue-haired teen's wrist. He yelled out as his hand was forced upward, resulting in the blast hitting the ceiling. The girl didn't know what she was doing. Inside screamed the drive to protect both of her schoolmates. Suddenly, the sound of footfalls reached her ears. She turned her head to see Tanaka quickly fleeing the room. Her heart nearly stopped as she immediately released Saito and cried out for her best friend. But much to her dismay, the third-year ignored her call.

She bit her lip, split on what to do. But she found her thoughts shattered, hearing her servant loudly cry out her name. The next moment, her vision spun whilst her body tumbled to the ground. A loud explosion rang in her ears. Groaning, she shook her head and lifted herself up slowly. But once she did, she paled at the sight that greeted her. Before her, taking a few stumbling steps back was Caster with a large silver arrow in his chest.

"Caster!"

 **20 Minutes Ago**

Emiya narrowed his eyes at the two teens standing under the streetlamp. The girl was truly foolish to be walking around with her guard lowered, even with her servant right beside her. He couldn't help but find it annoying. Did the girl have any sense of self-preservation? He glanced over at the white-haired boy. Magical energy flowed from him in constant, crushing waves. _"Not only are you yourself fully exposed but also relying on a caster as your sole defense...Can he really compare to that witch?"_ With a sigh, Emiya projected his Kanshou. The girl's thought process was of no concern to him. No, what he needed to do was to complete his mission.

With nary a sound, he threw the blade. The sword spun through the air, gleaming slightly in the pale moonlight. If the girl was standing any closer, the blade would already be sunken into her skull. Suddenly, the teenage servant glanced away, seemingly flustered by the girl's words. The moment he did, his eyes saw the blade spinning toward him. Acting fast, he tackled his Master to the ground, the blade missing its mark and flying over their bodies and stab into the ground nearby. Emiya's gaze narrowed, watching as the boy scampered to his feet and the girl stared at him in fear. He had lost the element of surprise, leaving him no choice but to confront his opponents directly.

"Trace on." he whispered, summoning both Kanshou and Byakuya to his hands at the same time, their familiar grip comforting against his cold skin.

In response, the white-haired boy shouted for his Master to get back as a staff appeared in his hand. The caster stabbed his staff into the ground; the cracks within the wood radiating a green glow.

"Nheyl Heqyer!"

Emiya immediately recognized the language used for the incantation as ancient Levant. Though despite this, he couldn't tell if the caster came from an era that preceded or succeeded the reign of Solomon.

Either way, this would have no hindrance on his combat. He watched as magical energy flew off the servant's staff to create a shield. A small smirk formed on Emiya's face. He could easily see the caster was panicked and cast his spell in a hurry, meaning the shield would be weak. Taking advantage of this, he dashed forward at inhuman speeds.

Before his opponent could even blink, he threw out his swords, both of them successfully collided with the barrier, the first cracking it while the second fully shattered it. The white-haired boy's eyes widened in disbelief. With the teen distracted, Emiya didn't waste any time using his momentum to kick his boot against the boy's chest, the sheer force lifting him off the ground with a strangled cough before he was sent flying backwards.

"Caster!" the girl cried out, running toward her servant without a second thought.

The counter guardian viewed this as a foolish choice. The girl had already sealed her fate. He easily moved in front of her, blocking off the path between the teen and her servant. He watched her face pale; her hazel eyes staring up at him in fear. She was completely petrified by his presence alone. All it would take was a quick slice to the neck and his goal would be accomplished. Yet before he could act, the girl's expression shifted. A determined gaze stared up at him, one that was desperate to fight back even if she were powerless to do so. His stern mask faltered, eyes softening ever so softly. In his eyes, the image of the girl melted away to that of a boy with bright red hair and golden eyes. He had seen this determination before.

Suddenly, Caster's voice rang out behind him, "Hevshek Apel!"

Emiya's heart nearly stopped as his teeth clenched. He had let his guard down and forgotten about the Caster. In that instant, his vision was consumed by complete darkness.

 _"Damn it, even when that fool is not around he still interferes!"_ he thought to himself as he summoned another set of swords and rushed to a random direction to hopefully dodge any follow-up attacks from the Servant.

Fortunately, the spell did not have a strong effect on him. He blinked his eyes a few times as his vision slowly returned within a few seconds. By the time he could see again though, he noticed the Caster servant was fleeing with his master in his arms.

 _"So that blinding spell wasn't an attack but an effort to create an opening to grab his Master and flee. If that's all they can bring to this battle, that girl will perish."_

With his grip around his sword tightening, Emiya lunged forward, crossing the distance between him and the servant within a few moments. Slightly twisting his torso as he reached the pair, he flicked out his sword. Unfortunately for him, the white-haired teen reacted quickly enough to come to a standstill and dodge. Emiya landed on the ground with a roll, stopping in a crouched position. Across from him, Caster breathed heavily, clutching desperately onto his Master's body. He was about to attack until he felt something prickle at his senses.

"You dare attack my prey?!" came a voice unheard before, "I was prepared to appear with a glorious and grand entrance, yet you dared to attack him before I could lift but a single finger!" the voice boomed. He spoke with lingering satisfaction in each word, exactly like a king assured in the wisdom of every sound.

The two turned their heads and what greeted them was the sight of a young teen approaching in a slow stride. His golden eyes were narrowed in annoyance. He possessed tan skin and dark shaggy hair; adorned in black, gold, and blue. Caster paled upon seeing the new servant. He uttered no words, only taking a few steps back before running off. Noticing this, Emiya moved to intercept the runaway servant. But much to his annoyance, he was stopped in his tracks by a golden blast. An annoyed sigh slipped from his lips as he slowly turned toward the remaining servant.

"You dare ignore me sand rat!" the servant in gold sneered.

"Well isn't this familiar, even this Holy Grail War comes with its own prick in gold."

Emiya rolled his eyes and dismissed his blades momentarily.

"Seeing as you made me lose my target, I suppose I don't have the luxury to ignore you anymore. I could try, but then your constant whines and groans would be like nails on a chalkboard."

The young servant's lips split into an unnerved smile with his right cheek twitching slightly.

"Seems I was mistaken, you're even worse than a sand rat. You're more like the dirt itself. Specks of grain meant to be used and disposed of." he said as a gold light appeared in his right hand and took the form of a cane. "Shall I ask for the name of the fool I'm about to slay?"

It was clear by this point the servant wasn't willing to leave peacefully. Emiya shifted his feet apart, steadying his stance.

He smirked as he replied "Hmm, and here I thought I was dirt in your eyes. Surprised you feel the need to address me by a name. Though, if you're asking for my name, should I expect you to reveal your own?"

The brown-haired teen raised a brow. Was he taken aback by the comment, the counter guardian had to wonder. A question he was convinced he wouldn't receive an answer to.

The servant closed his eyes, chuckling to himself.

"I suppose it would be fitting for your final moments to know of my existence." He reopened his eyes with a wide, cocky grin. "I am the true incarnation of Amun-Ra himself, for I am the great pharaoh, King Tutankhamen! But if you wish to address me by my class, you may call me Rider of the Eternal Sun, who Strikes the Shadow from this World!"

"I see. Rider it is then." Emiya replied dryly.

Based on the pharaoh's furrowed brows and clenched teeth, the remark had managed to anger him. Wasting no time, he dashed forward. He saw it foolish for the servant to reveal his True Name to him. Contrary to his servant body, King Tut was far too frail and ill in life as a result of his incestual parentage. This meant Rider had no combat experience whatsoever. Emiya knew all he needed was to get in close.

Suddenly, Emiya sensed intense magical energy approaching very quickly. The white-haired man held his breath, dropping to the ground with a roll. As he came to a stop, he turned back to see a barrage of arrows fly by behind him. His lips pursed in concern. He hadn't seen anywhere the arrows could have been fired from. His surroundings were empty aside from the servant still standing before him.

The counter guardian shook his head whilst kicking off the ground into a running start. He could worry about the mysterious arrows later. For now, his goal was to get close to Rider. His footfalls fell rapidly as he sped toward his opponent, swords still in hand. He hadn't even made yard when he sensed the magical energy once again. He quickly reversed his movement, leaping backwards to avoid the large barrage zooming by in front of him. Yet at that moment his eyes widened. He sensed the energy again but this time from above him. He spun his entire body into a dodge, landing on his back. The arrows came faster with some managing to rip the sleeve of his mantle before stabbing into the ground with the others.

"Hmm, perhaps I was right the first time with my sand rat analogy." Rider groaned out in annoyance. Emiya tilted his head, seeing the pharaoh lean against his cane with a bored look. "You're certainly proving to be a pest hard to kill. I grow bored of this. Can you do me a favor and die faster?"

The archer's eyes narrowed as he slipped into thought. The young pharaoh had to be the source of the attacks, there was no question about it. Yet there was the mystery as to what kind of magecraft the servant was using in order to maintain his distance.

 _"There's only one way to find out."_

Immediately he threw out his black sword, aiming for the servant's head. Rider's face quickly shifted from boredom to panic. He was barely able to jump out of the way of the spinning blade. Yet as he did, his cane glowed gold. In that instant, Emiya sensed the magical energy from behind him. Now was his chance. He turned sharply on his heel slicing his remaining sword toward the presence. No arrows managed to emerge as he made direct contact with energy. Upon impact, cracks formed in the air before shattering as if it were made of glass.

"Distortions in reality. Not too different from a reality marble." he muttered to himself.

Taking in a deep breath, he activated his clairvoyance. His vision was now filled areas containing ripples akin to those in water, revealing to him precisely where the distortions were. Each one was in a spot the arrows had been fired from. He chuckled quietly and smirked. Now that he knew what they looked like, he could counteract them. Carrying no more hesitation, he charged forward. Each time a distortion appeared, Emiya quickly closed it by smashing his sword against it. Rider grew more panicked the closer the archer drew. The distortions in the area grew more frequent with their appearance. Multiple groups of them appearing at once now. Yet Emiya didn't miss a single beat, destroying all of them as he ran.

Rider withdrew his cane, terrified his barrage had been rendered useless. His golden eyes narrowed. Without uttering a word, he stabbed his cane into the ground. The earth rumbled with blinding light streaming out of the cracks like the morning sun. As the ground broke, six sarcophagus slowly seeped out of the ground, rising into a circle around him. Ancient sand slid down their surface, rolling over a carved image far too worn for recognition, until they became completely still.

The counter guardian humphed at the sight. Had the young pharaoh grown so desperate to try to shield himself with coffins? Truly the amount of effort to be expected from a boy too ill and frail to stand on his own in life. He neared the circle of sarcophagus, ready to cut them down and finish the rider off. Yet as he closed the distance, warning bells began ringing loudly in his hand. Something just didn't seem right. It was almost too easy of a victory.

Cautious now that every hair on his neck was standing up, he slowed to a stop. The air lingered with the scent of rusted metal and a suffocating aura radiated off the ring. His eyes widened as feelings stirred within him. He had felt this before. During one of his previous summons by the World, he was required to do a bit of cleaning up after a young boy caused an explosion that released spirits from a Babylonian tomb. These spirits were used as a protective measure to protect the tomb from thieves and bandits. It would be no stretch of the imagination that the pharaoh, King Tut, would have similar spirits for protection.

"Those kinds of spirits drain any form of life they come in contact with." Silently he projected a replacement for the sword he had thrown, "This must be how Rider is able to avoid close combat. Meaning if I'm going to defeat him, I need to get rid of his makeshift barrier."

With the next goal in his mind set, Emiya got straight to work. He threw out both of his blades at the same time at the sarcophagus. It was a long shot, but there could be a chance he acted hastily like Caster earlier and summoned an inferior version of the spell. If that was the case, the sarcophagus would easily shatter. The two swords collided into their target easily yet the coffin did not even budge. The blades tumbled down the dusty ancient stone, landing on the ground with a light clank. The stone retained its smooth surface, not a single crack in sight.

"Please don't tell me you expected those flimsy toys would destroy my sarcophagus." Rider groaned, glancing down in disgust toward the blades, "These are the finest stones in Egypt. The very same stone used to forge the great Pyramids. As if I would fill my tomb with anything of lesser value."

"You really should watch your tongue, Rider." Emiya replied, his voice dancing with mirth, "Each time you open your mouth I only find out new things. For example, your little gloat there has indicated that if I want to reach you, I need more firepower."

The pharaoh instantly clamped his mouth shut with wide gold eyes. His grip tightening around his cane to the point it looked painful.

Now that the young teen was flustered, this was his chance for an opening. Taking in a deep breath, he closed his eyes, mentally sorting through all the weapons that rest on that familiar hill. Blue arcs of lightning extended from his hand, weaving together to forge a stronger blade. When the light faded, in his hand was large axe-sword made of stone. In another War, this was the weapon wielded by none other than the strongest Greek Hero, Heracles.

Grasping both hands on the weapon, he charged forward. The stone scraped loudly across the ground, stirring up large amounts of dirt. Making sure he didn't get too close to the sarcophagus, he stopped and immediately hurled the axe-sword by pivoting on his heel. The giant blade collided with the stone coffin. But unlike with Kanshou and Bakuya, the sarcophagus did crumble. As rocks tumbled onto the ground, out from the shattered remains came a spirit with a skeletal face and rags hanging of its limbs. The spirit let out an unholy shriek before taking to the skies.

Emiya quickly shifted gears, projecting his black bow. He had taken out the sarcophagus; now to take out the spirit before it could do any harm. He loaded a single weak Broken Phantasm before firing. The projectile soared through the air, hitting its target perfectly. The spirit shrieked the moment it was impaled and only seconds later did it find itself destroyed when the arrow exploded into flames. The counter guardian let out a small sigh. He had no doubt in his mind he could kill the spirit, yet he still found it relieving that he it was relatively easy still. Turning his gaze toward Rider, he was greeted with the pharaoh staring off where the spirit once was with his mouth hanging open.

"Now what was that about the finest stone?" the white-haired man taunted, "Though it should be expected it would be nothing but bold words from a child."

Rider jolted at these words. He immediately turned back toward the archer completely fuming.

"You dare disgrace the hard work of my people?!" the teen sneered, "And even worse, you dare disgrace me by calling me a mere child! I am the true pharaoh of the sun! I am King Tutankhamun!"

His face was fixed into a scowl as his cane glowed gold. Distortions filled the gap once filled by the sarcophagus.

"If you are so bold yourself, come at me now! Let me see if you are as mighty as you claim!"

Emiya did not reply this time. He could see the pharaoh was truly angry and refused to hold back any punches. This was to be a battle to the death.

Accepting the servant's challenge, he projected his swords and took off. Arrows immediately started flying forth from the gap. There was too many to dodge, leaving the archer no choice but to power through them. While some missiles managed to graze his cheek, others stabbed into his arms and torso. He hissed out in pain.

Fortunately, it seemed the projectiles managed to avoid hitting any vitals. It hadn't even been a second when another barrage was fired. Narrowing his eyes, Emiya threw out kanshou and bakuya.

The two blades managed to deflect some of the deadly projectiles before destroying two of the distortions. As they pierced his flesh, Emiya projected the second pair of his swords. He couldn't afford to stop. His eyes were completely locked on the servant in gold glaring at him. All he needed to do was keep moving forward and project as fast as he could.

The third barrage was fired as quickly as the second. Same as last time, he powered through and threw his blades to destroy two more distortions.

His breathing was starting to become ragged. He could already feel his mana drain far too quickly. If he didn't wrap up his fight quickly, he would be forced to recharge his supply by drawing from the World once again. Yet he couldn't afford that, not when he still needed to go after the girl.

Three swords; this was the number of projections remaining for him. Determined to win, two lights formed in his hands to create his signature weapons. It was now or never. His muscles tensed before he jumped up, causing some of the arrows to sink into his legs. Arms wound back, he swung down his blades in an X formation. The moment he landed on the ground, the remaining distortions shattered.  
Rider stared in shock, disbelief and fear painted on his face. Waving his cane wildly, the ground began to rumble once again. But instead of sarcophagus rising up, clawing their way out the ground was a group of mummies. Adjourned on their decayed bodies was ancient Egyptian armor and in their hands were swords and shields.

 _"This brat just doesn't know when to quit."_ Emiya thought to himself with a groan. _"And to think he has no idea he's wasting all his effort on someone who isn't even a part of the Holy Grail War this time."_

Projecting his final sword, he ran toward the mummies. The undead soldiers snarled and roared, swinging their weapons at the counter guardian. He dodged and weaved through their attacks, the swords only managing to slice the tail of his coat. His silver eyes focused on the single mummy that stood guard in front of a Rider. That mummy would be his key to victory.

He darted toward Rider, prompting the mummy standing guard to charge forward in response. It swung its blade, but Emiya easily dodged by swerving to the left. Not wanting to waste his opportunity, he cut off the mummy's arm. It wailed out in pain as its dismembered arm began to disintegrate.

Emiya snatched up the mummy's sword before it could hit the ground. He kicked away the decayed soldier before charging forward. There was now nothing between him and the pharaoh. His grip tight and the handle of the sword, he sliced it directly at the servant's neck. Deep breaths escaped his mouth with his head tilted downward. There was no resistance; it was a clean slice. Sucking in a sharp inhale, he lifted up his head. Yet what greeted him was not a headless servant. Instead Rider still remained standing tall, a smirk slowly spreading on his face.

"Wait, how can y-" the counter guardian began to ask. But then he noticed, the sword he once held was no longer there.

Small chuckles began to emerge from Rider. He leaned his head back and those chuckles turned into loud laughter. It almost sounded, maniacal.

"Fool! Did you think I'd not have full control over the contents of my own nation?" the pharaoh spoke once his laughter quieted down. "These soldiers, their bodies, souls and everything, they were entrusted to me and my afterlife. If you would seek to turn them against me you'll be disappointed. This iron knows its king and could never pierce his flesh!"

With a large grin, a golden glow appeared in his hand before fading to reveal the very same sword Emiya tried to kill Rider with.

The archer clenched his teeth in frustration. King Tut may not excel at close combat, but even he can easily fell an exhausted enemy. Yet there was the girl he needed to worry about. He had to track her down again and finished what he had started. Yet here he was, having let his true target slip away and wasting his energy with a mild annoyance.

The pharaoh chuckled once more before replying "Now I think we're done here. But I must say, you were quite the challenging one. You'll make a great addition to my armada. The exact advantage I need to win this war."

Rider's closed his eyes and began speaking in a foreign tongue. The sword in his hand changed from gold to black. Wisps of magical energy dripped off its tip like bloodlets. Puddles of molten tar and lava formed as they reached the ground. At that moment, the world began to change and shift. The distortions grew larger, taking the form of tomb walls. Emiya's heart nearly stopped in realization, Rider intended to entrap him within his tomb.

 _"I should have moved on. The brat may be annoying, but he wasn't my target. I let myself be as blindsided as my younger self. If that fool currently were in my position he would still be fighting. Yet I find myself repeating his mistakes, my mistakes."_

Rider's incantation continued as he raised up his sword. Emiya took in a deep breath and lowered his head.

 _"But I had made up my mind after that fateful fight..."_

With a smirk on his face, Rider swung down the cursed blade.

 _"I would move past those mistakes and toward the future!"_

The blade had barely missed him as the counter guardian dodged to the left. His vision spun as he tumbled onto the ground. He needed to find the exit. He shook his head and frantically looked around. Where was the exit? Suddenly, a large piece of stone caught his eye. He immediately recognized it as a fragment of Heracles' axe-sword. Lifting up his head, he finally spotted the rapidly closing exit. Wasting no time, he made a run for it.

"Wait how dare you fl-" Rider began to shout, but immediately paused. His teeth clenched as he snarled out "You have a lot of nerve interrupting me woman! You shall bite your tongue if you so even think of using one of your Command Spells to force me into obeying your will!"

If Emiya had to guess, Rider's Master was none too pleased with his actions and was demanding he return. Honestly, he could care less but regardless, found it amusing to see the pharaoh now directing his frustrations toward his Master. With the bickering providing as a distraction, he managed to slip through the opening with ease. Exhaing a sigh of relief, he shifted into his spirit form, vanishing from sight.

 _"No time to rest, I'll keep moving but recharge on magical energy as I go. That should be enough to finish the job."_ he thought to himself, " _The girl may be lost for now but I think I have an idea of where she was headed."_

He quickly moved through the city, guided by faint memories of commuting to school, purple hair, and hungry teachers. His thoughts couldn't help but drift towards earlier. The memory of the girl before him still remained clear in his mind. He took in a deep breath of air before settling on the roof of a mansion.

The wooden tiles creaked as he perched himself on the edge of the arch. Why did he lower his guard? He had the perfect opportunity to take her out in that instant. Yet he ended up hesitating. All because he allowed old memories to catch up to himself. Magical energy slowly flowed through him once more, restoring his strength.

 _"I can't falter like I did earlier, there's too much at stake."_ His hands curled into two firm fists. _"I know the consequences should I fail. Yet despite this, I still froze. All because for a moment I saw that same naive child in her expression. The same naivety that will get her killed, even if not by my hands. Why did I spare her? Was it pity, self loathing, something else?"_

No matter the reason, he refused to hesitate for a second time. Leaning slightly over his perch on the edge of the roof, he looked down at the school yard laid out before him.

 _"Hmm, this perch might as well be the best one in this area. The only thing surrounding this school is buildings. So the advantage required is one of the taller homes in the residential area. Fortunately this mansion seem to have a high enough vantage point."_

He recalled the brief discussion between Caster and his Master before he attacked them, discussing whether or not they should aid an acquaintance of hers who had gone missing at the school. Truly, the girl was foolish to rush head first into a battle to rescue an enemy Master. How she expected to fend off any opponents if she could barely last against him was beyond Emiya. It was unnerving to think about. What exactly drove this girl to make such reckless decisions? Emiya didn't know the answer, but it worried him. Tilting his head a little lower, he could see a commotion through the cafeteria window. It appeared that two servants were currently battling each other. He raised his brow slightly upon seeing one of the servants was a Lancer.

 _"Tempting, but rather not after wasting my time with the brat and golden prick. Besides, it isn't quite the same if it's not the dog."_

With that in mind, he continued to wait. The battle continued on; sparks flying as both sides grew more aggressive in their attacks. He managed to catch glimpses of Lancer being knocked back, struggling to keep up with the swift swordsman. Suddenly there was the sound of an explosion from within the cafeteria. Shortly following it, he caught sight of ginger hair. His target had finally revealed herself. She was standing in front of the cafeteria window with her back turned toward him. Silently, Emiya materialized and projected his bow and with the sword hrunting in his hands. This time he would take no chances. So long as his eyes remained on the target, hrunting would not miss.

Standing to his full height, he took in a deep breath as he drew back the string. It trembled slightly when he tensed it, revealing his unsteady hand. His hesitance was returning. Emiya's breath wavered, forming small, irregular puffs. He closed his eyes, allowing himself to soak in the silence. Slowly his body began to relax, his grip becoming more firm. There was no time to turn back now. His eyes reopened to reveal a steely yet determined gaze.

 _"This is for the good of humanity. The anomaly can't be allowed to spread."_

Releasing the string, he finally fired.


	10. Chapter 10 - Lancer

Chapter 10

Lancer watched as Caster collapsed to the ground with an arrow stuck in his chest. The white-haired boy groaned painfully as a single hand clenched weakly at the shaft, trying in vain to pull it out. He had survived the shot, but was still gravely wounded. If left unintended, he would perish. Her blue eyes flickered over to the window.

 _"Long distance attack. No doubt the summoned Archer."_ Her gaze shifted back to Caster. He was now propped up next to one of the tables taking in heavy breaths with a panicked Tamiko crouched beside him.

"Caster! Oh god, Caster!" the ginger cried out. Her shaky hands hovering over his form, almost grabbing onto his sleeve but wavered. "This is all my fault! This is all my fault!" Wide hazel eyes stared at the bloody arrow. "I don't know what to do! But... I can't let you die because of me!"

Tamiko's breathing began to race, her pupils shaking. Yet it all came to a stop the moment Saito grabbed her by the shoulders, prompting her to stiffen.

"Listen to me, Katou! If you want to make up for the consequences you brought upon yourself, panicking will do nothing. You need to focus and keep supporting Caster with your magical energy!" he stated in a stern tone.

The teenage girl was left speechless. He had called her Katou, not Katou-san. It was clear Saito was tired of giving his classmate slack. She was a Master in the Holy Grail War, and he intended to ensure she acts like one. Squeezing her eyes shut, Tamiko's hands clasped onto the ones placed on her shoulders whilst nodding her head.  
Lancer sighed in annoyance. The girl truly was a fool to have expected no major repercussions for her inexperience. Yet she hoped this would provide a message; a lesson to be burned into the teen's mind. For a brief second, the memory of a bloody battlefield surfaced, the ground covered in fallen knights.

 _"Dire consequences with fatal results."_

"Lancer, I managed to regain enough strength to supply you with more mana." Saito stated, "The servant attacked from a distance, a typical trait of an archer. If I were to guess, they're perched outside on one of the homes. Since the school is mostly surrounded by the woods, a nearby house would be the only vantage point they would have."

The spearswoman grinned.

"Aye, there's the canny Master I know. And not only that, you must've felt the surge of mana originating from outside." She turned toward Saber and pointed her spear; her grin tightening in a more aggressive manner, "And no doubt that witch you serve felt it too. I find it hard to believe my master's attempted attack sent her running, not when she was full of fight moments ago."

Saber's eyes narrowed with lips firmly sealed. Based on the servant's silence, she must have hit the nail on the head. It was a reasonable decision she had to admit. With all the attention focused on the weakest target, it can grant one the opportunity to slip away with no hindrances. A tactic she would have used herself had Saito not been present. Speaking of which, the enemy servant. Her gaze returned to the broken window.

She took in a deep breath and tightened her grip on her spear. Caster would take care of the two young Masters. There was the threat of Saber, but she had a feeling the swordswoman would not linger in the area, despite Tanaka currently hiding herself away in the kitchen. If Lancer had to guess, the moment she flees the room, Saber would perceive her as the greatest threat to her Master. After all, the servant had made it clear that her Master's protection held highest priority. She turned from the broken window to the exit on the right. _"Looks like I'll be leaving the same way we came in. If I can reach the end of that hallway I should be at the archer's side..."_ Without a word, she darted for the open cafeteria door. Reaching the hallway, she sprinted at full speed. Stay away from windows, flank the archer; that was her plan.

The sound of rapid footfalls from behind her began to fill the hall. Glancing over her shoulder, sure enough she spotted Saber pursuing her.

 _"So predictable. Suppose it was too much to ask for her to be more worried about a dying Caster. Or perhaps her honor prevents her from slaying a wounded opponent without the approval of her master."_

Lancer refused to deal with both servants at the same time, meaning if she wanted the hope of fighting the archer uninterrupted, she needed to take out Saber now. Her boots skid across the floor as she quickly turned around. She thrust her spear toward the servant's chest. Saber's remained stoic as she adjusted her sword, holding it to the left side of her waist. The swordswoman jumped onto the wall, catapulting herself off of it. The redhead acted fast recalling when her opponent had pulled the same move earlier that night.

The sword swung horizontally, only for its path to be blocked by the handle of the spear. The two women found themselves at a stand still. Lancer's muscles were tense, ready for a second strike. For a few brief seconds, the swordswoman's eyes flickered to the side. Without warning, Lancer found herself shoved to the side as Saber ran past her. This puzzled her until she finally took notice of the moonlight shining directly on her body.

 _"Damn it, I stopped in front of a window!"_

She immediately dropped to the floor, shattered fragments of glass falling softly onto her a moment later. Her head turned and tilted up toward the window. Although her view was partially obscured, she saw moonlight glint off a metal object atop one of the school buildings. The archer must have chosen to move closer from their previous perch to finish the job. Not wishing to remain in the same spot, she kicked off the ground into a running start. More glass shattered with four arrows stabbing into the far wall.

Such marksmanship was familiar to her. It was clear her opponent had a keen eye and sneaking around would not be a simple task. The cover would have to be her aid, for if she stepped out in the open it would be a death wish on her part. Up ahead she spotted Saber waiting, careful not to stand in front of the window and her sword at the ready. An annoyed grunt rumbled within her throat. The dark-haired woman seemed to refuse to let her be. Lancer twisted her spear in her hand a few times before tightly gripping the handle.

 _"You've been a thorn in our side for far too long tonight. Time to finish this and then deal with that Archer."_

She crossed the massive distance between her and the armor clad enemy servant within seconds. The wooden floor creaking with each step as she pulled her arm back for a mighty swing. Blade and spearhead clinked together, bouncing off of each other from the sheer force. Lancer's grip on her spear was like iron. Her reflexes swift as she pulled for another blow; sparks flew from the intensity. The spearwoman adjusted her footing, moving to try to intercept each blow. Nearly within the blink of an eye, she now stood where the swordswoman once did. Spear and sword clash once more, caught in a deadlock. The two servants glared at each other.

"I must commend you for your skills, Lancer." Saber calmly spoke, "Even with the Command Spell, you have still managed to hold me off. Truly, you must have been a warrior of great caliber in your lifetime."

Lancer's lips twitched slightly.

"Heh, almost got me to crack a grin there. But yer no slacker yourself, you fight like you've held that blade your entire life. You may have been annoying to deal with, but the satisfaction of felling a warrior such as yourself will be worth it in the end."

Taking in a deep breath, the redhead began searching her surroundings. As long as the Command Spell was in effect, she had no hope of defeating Saber in close combat. The thought of using her Noble Phantasm crossed her mind, but she immediately discarded it. Her Noble Phantasm would still fall into the category of combat, allowing the Command Spell to conquer even her trump card. Finally, her eyes settled on the broken window behind Saber.

 _"That's it. I don't necessarily have to be the one to deliver the finishing blow."_

Lancer jumped back with her spear held close to her chest. Her knees bent as she stabbed the spear into the ground. In one swift movement, she kicked off the ground, pivoting her entire body on the spear. Even with the enhanced speed, Saber was unable to dodge an entire body being flung at her. The swordswoman's back collided harshly with the floor. At the same time, Lancer rolled on the ground, only staying in view of the window for a split second, before finally stopping in a crouched position. Glancing over her shoulder, she could see her opponent starting to get back up.

 _"She won't have time to dodge. The archer should have fired upon seeing us. Given how fast they were firing before, it shouldn't be long now for arrows to rain down upon Saber."_ Lancer thought with a smirk.

Yet as Saber managed to push herself onto her knees, no arrows came. Her brows furrowed in confusion. This couldn't be right. The archer had proven to possess great marksmanship the first time she was fired at. It wasn't possible that Saber had went unnoticed as she was still in clear view. The only reason reason the archer would not have fired at Saber was if they had chosen not to. In that instant, Lancer's face paled.

"Archer wasn't trying to take out servants." she muttered out loud.

Upon hearing this, Saber immediately scampered to her feet. There was clear panic in her silver eyes. It was clear to Lancer that Saber had came to the same conclusion. The Archer wasn't seeking to kill the servants but rather the masters. Her teeth clenched in frustration, berating herself for brushing him aside in order to deal with the swordswoman.

 _"Looks like I have no choice now. Saito, I'll protect you even if it kills me."_

Willing to put her life on the line for the sake of her master, she jumped out of the window, the still intact glass shards only tickling her lightly on the way out. It didn't matter if Saber still wished to kill her. For Saito's sake, she couldn't afford to wait to take out Archer. She would battle both servants at the same time if she had to. She had been willing to when Caster arrived earlier, and she was willing to do it again. The ground cracked upon her landing, creating a large crater and a loud boom. Normally such a noisy exit would annoy her, but this time she hoped it would draw the archer's attention.

Across the courtyard, on top of the archery dojo, she spotted her opponent. With bow in hand was a man with white hair, dressed in red and black. He had his head turned toward her, most likely attracted by the loud noise.

 _"Good, keep your attention on me."_

Suddenly she heard more shattering glass behind her and followed by a noticeably softer thud on the ground. Annoyed, she entered an immediate dash, kicking up dirt in the process. If she was caught in another scuffle with the sword wielding servant, she would be an easy target for the archer. Ahead of her she noticed the man in red notch an arrow in his bow. The string was pulled back. Lancer's muscles tensed. If he was going to fire at her, she would be ready to dodge. The very next second, the arrow whistled past her head, before being immediately cut short with a loud clank. A small metallic sound came moments after from behind her, falling to the ground along with strands of her cut hair.

Lancer's breath caught in her throat. She hadn't even seen the projectile coming and only still lived due to luck. Her thoughts of shock were immediately brushed aside when Saber managed to dash past her. Even with her heavy armor, the swordswoman moved as if she were as light as a feather. The archer took note of servant rapidly approaching him and fired three arrows in rapid succession. Saber stopped upon seeing this and swung her sword. She managed to deflect the first two, but the third pierced her shoulder.

Taking advantage of the distraction, Lancer dashed the rest of the way to archery building. By the time the archer had spotted her, it was already too late. She had jumped up with her spear at her side. As she descended toward her opponent, she thrust her spear downward toward his chest. The man muttered out a quick incantation. Momentarily, her vision was blinded a blue light. She could feel an impact after stabbing into the light, that felt like stabbing armor. After the light cleared, she found her spear now pressed up against a black blade.

"You possess a sword?!" Lancer exclaimed.

Only a few seconds later, Saber had arrived on the rooftop as well. She swung down toward the man's chest. Another flash of light and the blade was halted by a white sword.

"Two?! A dual wielder?!" the woman in oriental armor gasped out in shock.

The man in red did not reply. Instead his steely gray eyes remained focused on his opponents and his grip firm. Lancer's mouth pressed into a thin line. It was unfortunate for her that the archer possessed skills in close combat. She could already feel her strength diminish slowly, being forced to burn more mana by the second. Reaching through her connection, she could sense the exhaustion radiating from Saito.

 _"Damn it, I already spent the mana he supplied me earlier. Meanwhile Saber still has a healthy master lending her mana. If I don't end this soon, I won't be able to save Saito."_

Suddenly, Saber pulled her sword back from the archer's blade, swinging it horizontally toward Lancer's neck. The redhead jumped back, holding her spear up vertically to shield herself. At the same time, the man in red thrust his weapon toward her. Fortunately, she jumped far enough for the black sword to miss her stomach by a few inches and successfully block Saber's attack. Shifting her hands to the end of lance, she desperately swung it to prevent a follow up attack. The bladed tip forced both the archer and the swordswoman to withdraw, leaving her a moment to catch her breath.

Lancer's blue eyes glanced between the two servants, not uttering a single word. Without warning, she jabbed her spear toward Saber, prompting the sword wielder to jump back. But immediately after, she withdrew her spear and stabbed it toward her true target, the man in red. Quickly intercepting the attack, the enemy archer crossed his swords to block with both. The spear and blades collided, causing the latter to shatter upon impact.

 _"His defenses are down, now to strike."_ she thought as she pulled back.

The redhead sliced downward to the left. Another flash of light, followed by sparks and a clang. Lancer's blood boiled at the sight of yet another set of swords in the man's hand.

 _"I broke the first two, yet he managed to summon another pair. Just how many swords does this archer have?!"_

Another diagonal swipe. This time the white-haired man dodged it by spinning his body to the right of lancer. She had nearly no time to react, barely blocking a kick from her opponent. Her boots slid against the tiles from the force, along with the sound of a sickening crack from her arm. Lancer hissed through her teeth, blood streaming down her leather gauntlet.

 _"Ah, that managed to sting quite a bit. But still, nothing I can't handle."_

She took a step back, but spotted Saber from the corner of her eye charging in. _"Crap, I had forgotten about her!"_ The redhead jumped to the side, managing to avoid Saber's swing. But the swordswoman did not stop there; she quickly turned and swiped at the archer. The white-haired man took a few steps back, causing the blade to only slice air. His eyes drifted away from the two servants before him, glancing behind them. Lancer recalled that cafeteria was positioned behind her. Studying his body, she noticed his legs were loose with his feet shifting slightly.

 _"He's about to make a break for the Masters."_ Her grip tightened around her spear, _"If he gets past me, Saito is as good as dead in his current state. It's now or never."_

She outstretched her arm, almost positioning her spear behind her. A simple exhale slipped from her lips before her spear thrust forward; her body crouching down on her right knee. The archer swung his white blade to intercept the spear, but it shattered upon impact. In response to this, he grabbed a hold the shaft of Lancer's weapon and pushed against it. The spearhead's tip stopped centimeters from his chest. Lancer's heart skipped a beat. With her opponent now holding firmly onto her spear, she had no way of defending herself.

The sound of rapid footsteps reached her ears. Turning toward her left, she could see Saber charging in with her sword at the ready. Lancer's mind began to race. She could feel the archer's strength was wavering, applying anymore force would easily pierce his heart. But doing so would cost time, causing her to risk receiving the full brunt of Saber's attack. The women in oriental armor yelled and swung her blade at full force. Yet much to Lancer's surprise, the attack went over her head and clashed with the archer's black blade.

 _"Did she just miss me on purpose?"_

The servant in red jerked down his weapon, causing Saber's sword to be pinned to his side and pull her in close. Momentarily there was shock on Saber's face before the archer kicked her, sending her tumbling across the roof a short distance.

 _"There's no way she didn't notice I was vulnerable."_ Lancer thought whilst swiping a leg underneath her opponent, tripping him up and freeing her spear. The redhead jumped back, creating distance between her and the enemy servant. Her gaze returned to Saber, noticing her pushing herself up by using her sword. The swordswoman's head turned slightly toward the cafeteria before shifting back toward Lancer with a brief nod.

Seeing this, Lancer nodded in return, replying "So you've realized it too. He was about to go for our Masters. Heh, so we're in agreement. This bassa needs to go!"

Correcting her posture, she once more charged him with her spear dragging across the tiles, creating sparks. The spear swung upward, slicing towards the man lying on his back. He quickly rolled out of the way before jumping back to his feet. The redhead didn't stop her momentum, easily shifting from one movement to another. Her swing had transformed into a thrust. The archer stepped back, blocking the attack with his blade. It shattered like fragile glass. Another thrust, another flash of light, another broken blade.

The two servants were caught in an intricate dance. Lancer's moved like a streak, her strikes precise. Yet the archer's reflexes helped him only just keep up with each blow. Vanishing fragments of broken swords lay at their feet as the two continued. One slip up could easily mean the end for the other. Spotting an opportunity, Saber rushed behind the man in red. She swung her sword, aiming for her enemy's neck. Hearing the opponent behind him, the archer immediately ducked, but this left his back vulnerable to attack. Lancer tried to take advantage of this, stabbing her spear downward. But much to her frustration, the man rolled out of the way, stopping at the edge of the roof.

He took in heavy breaths, sweat layering his brow. Saber cautiously walked over to Lancer, and stood next to her. They shared a brief nod before turning toward their common enemy. The archer in red was blocked off from the cafeteria. He momentarily shut his eyes as he let out a deep exhale. Snapping them wide open, he took off running toward the two servants. Both Saber and Lancer readied their weapons. The archer ran at full speed, yet once he reached his opponents, he threw down his blade while simultaneously jumping upwards. Upon contact, the blade broke into small fragments which glimmered for a moment before exploding. The force of the burst caused the duo to be knocked back, Saber falling off the roof and Lancer clinging onto the edge with one hand. Lancer grunted whilst pulling herself back up. Turning around, she noticed the archer land atop the roof of the school. Lancer mentally berated herself before quickly launching herself toward the roof with burst of mana. She landed with a loud thud, thin cracks spreading appearing in the cement.

"Well you've been quite the chancer tonight haven't ya?" the spearswoman started with a tight grin, "Personally I'm not against someone willing to be shan during a fight. But there's a difference in being a canny warrior, and a flat out coward. You fall in the latter."

Her opponent raised a silent brow challengingly at her statement. He glanced to the left and right before chuckling slightly.

"I see your friend failed to join us." he said, speaking for the first time since their fight started. His voice was deep and calm, yet there was a tinge of smugness hidden underneath it.

Lancer's eyes briefly widened, her gaze roamed the archery building. But no matter where she looked, there were no signs of Saber. She shook her head, letting out a hearty laugh whilst turning toward her opponent.

"The coward must've ran off with her tail between her legs. Good riddance I say. I don't need her, I can skelp yer hide just fine without her!"

The archer rubbed his chin with his hand, appearing to be deep in thought. His body was full of openings yet their earlier clash and the Servant's seemingly infinite supply of swords deterred her from taking advantage of them.

"Your voice..." he began, eyes flickering upward toward the female servant, "I noticed it seems to have an interesting accent. It's distinct, clearly originating from Scotland. I already know you're not the Queen of Shadows as your spear lacks the blood red sheen. Given your attire, you must have been a knight. There's only a select few of the Scottish knights qualified to become Heroic Spirits. But given my choices, I think I know exactly which one you are."

A smirk formed on his face as he let go of his chin and held out his hand. A long bright yellow light formed within his hand. The light shifted, taking the form of a claymore sword. It had a distinct design; a rounded crossguard, the symbol of a unicorn engraved into the base of the blade, and on the handle was the metal carving of two birds behind a coat of arms.

Lancer's blood ran cold. That sword, that blasted sword. It only served as a reminder of one of her greatest mistakes. Her hand painfully clenched around her spear to the point her knuckles turned white.

"Though you hold that blade, I know you're not him." she spoke in a deadly tone, "He may have committed a great sin, but he was still a knight of Scotland." Her blue eyes were now blazing with rage. "You are one who peddles cheap illusions and tricks in place of a warrior's heart! I'll shatter that image of a sword like the rest of your worthless toys and prove how unworthy you are to hold it!"

With a mighty yell, she charged forward. The man in red quickly grasped the sword's handle with both hands and intercepted the blow. Each strike Lancer delivered held all of her rage. Her earlier finesse was now all but gone and she was now blindly swiping at her opponent. She was less of a Lancer and more of Berserker in that moment. Her opponent remained firm, blocking each blow as cracks formed on the sword. His stature was stiff yet firm, showing skill with the blade, yet lacking the experience to push it to its farthest potential.

Another blow and sparks flew. The man in red jumped back, now with a broken blade. Lancer chuckled, her grin demented with a strange blood lust.

"I knew that trick was no match for me. His blade would have withstood my blows ten times over!" she roared.

"Tch." the archer muttered out, "Clearly I've struck a nerve. The tales from your homeland didn't exactly exaggerate your rage. Either way, I think I'm done here."

Without another word, he darted to the right toward the staircase door. His boot slammed against the metal, knocking down the door with ease. Lancer proceeded to chase after her enemy, watching him jump over railings as he raced down the stairs. What started as a rumbling in her chest erupted into an angry scream. How dare he flee their battle, not when she had yet to be finished with him. She had no intent to let him live, not when he managed to easily deduce her True Name. Though looking back, she did find it impressive he had solved it when others had yet to. Ignoring these thoughts, she dashed down the stairway, following the archer's example.

Reaching the bottom of the stairs, she found it opened up into a hallway. On her left would lead back toward a wall with no windows, while her right the hallway continued on till it eventually led to the cafeteria. Much to her surprise, the archer was standing across from stairway. He had been in a hurry before, there was no reason for him to stop. But upon glancing to her right, she got her answer. In the middle of the hallway was Saber standing firm with her sword held out in front of her. The swordswoman did not speak nor move, only her eyes gave silent invitation for the archer to attack her.

Lancer took a step forward, raising her spear, but halted upon stumbling slightly. Panic crossed her mind as she reached back into her connection. She could barely sense Saito, meaning her Master's mana was now dangerously low. Her back straightened, holding her spear in front of her to hide her weakness from her opponents.

 _"There's no way I can fight anymore, I've already push Saito to his limits. If I continue, I would only be killing him myself."_ She could feel her body struggling to stay materialized; her hand was now slightly transparent. _"Even if I get rid of this guy, there's still Saber to deal with."_ The spearswoman moved into a fighting stance. _"Maybe, just maybe, I can kill two birds with one stone with a bluff."_

With her mind set, she shouted "It's no use, you're caught between us. And if you try fleeing by turning into spirit form, I will unleash my Noble Phantasm."

The archer humphed whilst crossing his arms, looking back and forth between the two servants.

"You would unleash your Noble Phantasm even at the cost of endangering your own ally?" he asked, closing his eyes for a few seconds before opening one of them, "I didn't take you for one to use lives as cannon fodder."

Lancer's mouth twitched slightly, almost giving her opponent a reaction. She took in a deep sigh, clearing her thoughts. This was no time to get angry, not if she wanted her plan to go off without a hitch.

Her blue eyes stared forward at Saber, knowing the swordswoman would be enraged by her next words. "Saber is no ally of mine. Her witch nearly had my Master killed and we both only worked together for the benefit of our respective Masters. Which is why I'm willing to propose a deal." The archer raised a brow in interest. "If you agree to leave this place without killing any of the Masters here, I will be willing to help you kill Saber. After that, I will let you go without a fight. You will have one less servant to worry about."

Upon hearing this, Saber's face twisted in disgust.

"You would make such an offer with no shame at all? I could have killed you before, yet how you repay me is by turning your back on me. You are as traitorous as a snake."

A small grin cracked on Lancer's face.

"Now how can I betray something that I wasn't loyal to in the first place? The only one I am loyal to is my Master. Everything I do is for his sake. You may have spared me, but that does not excuse what your witch did." She raised her spear and pointed it toward the swordswoman, "So the way I see it, if I take you out, that witch won't have a leg to stand on."

Her gaze returned to the man in red as she asked, "So have you come to a decision, Archer? Just say the word and I will strike."

The archer did not reply. Two lights formed in his hand, taking the shape of his black and white blades. "As tempting as you offer is Lancer..." he began, his voice deep to the point it sent chills down Lancer's spine. Turning on his heel, he faced toward the spearswoman, raising his swords to attack. "Knowing who you are, you wouldn't make a deal unless it's for your benefit alone. Besides, I have my reasons to take out one of the Masters here. Reasons too crucial to turn my back on."

Lancer clenched her teeth. Her bluff had fallen through and now she was the one cornered. Suddenly, footsteps filled the air. Her eyes widened in surprise to see Saber charge toward the archer and swing her sword at him. The archer immediately took note of this by turning around and locking blades with the servant. Sparks flew as the two exchanged blows till finally she jumped back.

Her head snapped toward Lancer as she shouted "Grab your master and leave! I will take care of this servant!"

This puzzled the redhead. Why would Saber help her, especially after she tried to convince the archer to have the sword wielding servant killed. It just didn't make sense. Surely Saber would have stood by, allowing the man in red to slay her for her words of treachery. Yet the swordswoman did no such thing, but instead was trying to allow her to escape.

As if sensing Lancer's silent confusion, Saber grunted as she held her sword in front of her "Unlike you Lancer, I am honorable to those who share my plight. While it may have been for your selfish needs, you still helped me protect my master. I am aware that the boy must be spent due to my Master's actions, which is why you must leave. But know this, on my honor as a warrior, the next time we meet on the battlefield, I shall not express this mercy again."

Lancer was truly stunned. Even after the threat of betrayal, Saber was willing to honor their temporary alliance. It was something she found foolish, yet admirable of the woman. Without another word, she shifted into spirit form and phased through the wall. The last thing she could hear as she left was the sound of blades clashing. Once outside of the building, she immediately called out _"Saito, where are you?"_

A few minutes passed until she received a weak reply of _"Over at the school gate."_

Wasting no time, she immediately raced over to the school gate. Sure enough, she found Saito sitting on the ground, rested up against the wall. His face was a sickly pale, looking like nearly all the life had been drained from him. He tilted his head, glancing up toward his servant, revealing glassy blue eyes that were on the verge of closing.

"Lancer, I don't suppose you can carry me home so I won't pass out on the way will you?"

Lancer did not question this order, scooping his body into her arms easily.

"I'm surprised to actually find you here alone. I was half expecting to find the lassie and her injured Caster with you." she commented.

Saito's eyes glanced downward, a slight blush on his face as he grumbled "It's not like I'm doing this on purpose, she's a novice that stupidly ran into battle and almost got her servant killed. I'm just trying to make her understand the reality of her situation." He paused to take in a deep breath. "Anyways, she's not here because Tanaka took her. As soon as she agreed to let me go, she hauled Caster onto her shoulder and demanded Katou go with her. Katou didn't even try to argue, she just obeyed. I swear, she can be too obedient to people at times."

This revelation annoyed the spearswoman. Tamiko already seemed close to the Master of Saber, even to the point she stopped Saito's attempted attack. These seeds of affection could easily be used to Tanaka's advantage, turning her friend into an ally. Should that happen, then Lancer truly would regret not being able to kill the teenage girl. But for the moment, she could not worry about Tamiko. She still had a weak Master she needed to take to safety. So she began running.

As she ran down the dark roads, Saito said "Lancer, tell me, who was the servant that attacked you?"

For a few minutes, she remained silent. Looking down, she could see the teen still staring up at her, waiting for an answer.

Finally, she answered "His attacks were long range, typical of the archer class. Though while he wielded the bow, he fought with blades. One particular sword was..." Lancer paused, her blues eyes darkening at the memory. "It wasn't very pleasant to see that sword. I... I was foolish to attack the way I did and I used up too much of your mana doing so. Yet I couldn't help myself, I was in a blind rage."

"Lancer, what are you talking about?" the boy asked, drawing her out of her thoughts.

The spearswoman sighed as she closed her eyes. She had been rambling and dragging up a past she wanted to remain buried. No one needed to know who she was or how she came to die. They needn't know the pain she felt. If everything went as she hoped, only the man in red would know her true name, and she would make sure he takes that knowledge to his grave.

"It's nothing." Lancer replied, reopening her eyes, "Although I may have not been able to take down him or Saber, at least in the future we won't be caught by surprise."

Saito's gaze shifted to the side. His hands balling into two firm fists. "Lancer, the way you're talking, you left the battle unfinished. There's no way they would simply let you go, which means you had to use some trickery to pit the two against each other. You fought underhanded again, didn't you?"

An uncomfortable silence settled between the two. Why was the boy so against the idea of trickery and deceit in battle the servant had to wonder? Perhaps there were some things even she had yet to learn about her own Master.

Deciding to break the silence, Lancer said "Saito, you must understand, it is simply my nature. Honor is not that different to chivalry. In my lifetime, I've seen many good men die from refusing to abandon this chivalrous code. That is why I had chosen to forgo it for the sake of my country. I do not fight unfair for the sake of myself, I do it for the sake of my cause. Please keep this in mind, Saito. I only fight dishonorably for you alone. I am the Servant and you are the Master, it is my job to ensure your victory in this war."

Saito did not reply, but he did look up at his servant. Surprise was clearly painted on his face despite the exhaustion. Suddenly, he curled his body closer to his servant, resting his head on her shoulder. Lancer was taken back by the sight. Her eyes softened with her arms tightening around the teen's body. She didn't need to hear his words to know he was grateful at least. So with a shake of her head, she took off into the night.


	11. Chapter 11 - Human

Chapter 11

The moon shined down on the empty streets of Fuyuki. Only the sound of footsteps filled the air. Tamiko was wringing her hands nervously as she followed behind Tanaka carrying an injured Caster.

"T-Tanaka-senpai -"

"Just call me Tanaka," she interjected with a sigh. "We're both participants in this war. There's no point in being polite to each other."

Tamiko chewed her lips as she nodded.

"Right...anyways,... Tanaka, are you sure that Saito will be alright? He looked awfully pale and barely could walk."

Tanaka did not reply immediately, which worried the younger girl a bit. She was aware the subject was a touchy one with her best friend. After all, it was not long ago the two were at each others' necks.

Finally, the third-year spoke up, "Katou, he's an enemy Master, I can't afford to be worried about him. Besides, he has his own servant that can protect him. You on the other hand are defenseless, having a lack of magecraft knowledge and the fact that your servant has been gravely injured. The best course of action for me is to reach the safety of my home so the bounded field can protect us and treat Caster's wound so he won't perish."

"But I'm an enemy master too, so why help me and not Saito?!" the ginger exclaimed.

Tanaka stopped in her tracks, prompting her companion to do so as well. An uncomfortable silence fell between the two. Tamiko's brows furrowed in concern. Tanaka had no reason to help her. She was even the one who snapped at her for taking the war lightly. Wasn't she going back on her word by aiding her?

The silence was finally broken by a cough. Tanaka cleared her throat a bit, and adjusted the barely conscious servant on her shoulder.

"Let's just consider this a one time favor. Now let's hurry up, we can't have your servant dying on you now, can we?"

Tamiko opened her mouth to reply, paused, before closing it. Questions can wait for later. Right now what was important was saving Caster. Without another word, she continued her trek alongside her friend.

It wasn't long till they reached an old western house. It was two-story, with weathered wooden walls and a gable roof. Quite a decrepit house, Tamiko thought, in contrast to its impeccable owner.

Tanaka walked up the door, before she slowed down to a stop. She huffed, adjusting the Servant on her shoulder as she grunted, "Spare key under the mat."

Tamiko blinked at her before realizing what she meant. "Oh! Right." After finding the key, Tanaka opened the door and went inside, Tamiko following her hesitantly.

Once inside, the house told a different story from its outside. Dust covered the entire living room floor; the only objects within the area were a single couch and coffee table covered in empty ramen cups. While the furniture appeared not to be broken, they were just as dirty as the floor. There was no sign of any pictures on the walls, nor any electronics. Peering ahead into the kitchen, she could only see a single table and chair. Looking at the state of the home, it looked as if no one had lived in it for years.

"Tanaka, I know I've never been in your house before, but I wasn't expecting it to be like this." the second-year stated, picking up one of the empty cups off the coffee table.

"Yeah, sorry about that." Tanaka replied as she laid out Caster on the couch, "I don't bother with cleaning much."

Her hands went to hover on the young boy's blood soaked robes. A light blue glow lined the edges of the hole. It was hard to notice, but the hole was shrinking slowly. The girl closed her eyes, pushing herself back up into a standing position.

"The mana you're supplying him isn't enough. His regeneration rate is quite slow. Whatever thing that Archer had used, it was meant to kill."

Tamiko looked down at her Caster, guilt gnawing on her conscience as she was once again reminded of the consequences of her actions. She had been ignorant to the danger in front of her, and her Servant had to pay the price to save her.

"Is there anything else I can do to help him?" Tamiko asked, now determined to act like a proper Master.

"Fortunately, there is. All he needs is more mana to speed up his healing process. This can be done through a mana transfer." Hope a lit in Tamiko's heart from her friend's words. "I can do this easily, but there is something I need you to do. In order for me to help Caster, I need it set up where he can draw mana from me. So I want you to use one of your Command Spells to establish a temporary connection between Caster and I."

A frown flickered on Tamiko's face. "My Command Spell?" She lifted up her marked hand to her face. Saito's warning echoed in her mind, reminding her that she only had three to use.

"I don't think that's a good idea, Tanaka." the young girl replied. "I'd prefer to save it for another time. There are more servants out there, ones that might be even worse than the Archer that attacked us. Wouldn't it be better to have me do the mana transfer instead? I am Caster's Master after all."

In that instant, Tanaka's face turned red.

"N-n-no!" she exclaimed a little too loudly, "You can't just do the mana transfer! It's... it's a delicate process, so it'll be better if I do it. I know you want to save your Command Spells, but..." Tanaka rubbed her face tiredly. "Look, it's complicated and I'd rather not explain. I just wish you could trust me with this."

Suddenly, Tamiko's hazel eyes dulled to a lifeless shade. She lifted up her hand in a mechanical fashion and her Command Spells began to glow.

"Caster, by order of the Command Spell, you are to take mana from Tanaka until you are fully healed." With the last of those words, one of the Command Spells vanished, leaving behind a faded mark where it once was.

The young girl blinked her eyes a few times. She absently brought up her hand to rub them, but froze when she caught sight of the missing mark on her hand.

 _"Did I just use up a Command Spell after I said I wouldn't?! Why did I do that, and why can't I remember doing so?!"_

Her gaze moved toward the older teen, checking for her reaction. Tanaka was staring at her intently, frowning in deep thought. There was no surprise nor confusion in her eyes. After a few awkward moments of staring at each other, Tanaka sighed, before walking over to the couch to get Caster.

"Well, better get to work," Tanaka heaved, before heading for the stairs. "I will be doing the ritual upstairs. Stay down here till I'm done."

"Why can't you do it with me in the room? Surely it would be faster to do the transfer here." the young girl asked.

Once again, Tanaka's face turned red. instead of answering, she quickly darted up the stairs with the dazed servant.

Tamiko stared at the other Master's retreating figure in confusion, before shrugging.

Minutes pass by as Tamiko paced around the living room a couple of times, biting her lip nervously. It seemed the mana transfer was taking longer than she thought it would. Each second passing gnawed at her anxiety. Was Caster alright? Is the ritual going to be enough to save him? Did the Command Spell successfully establish a connection between him and Tanaka?

Her feet came to a stop at the bottom of the stairway.

 _"I know Tanaka told me to stay down here until she was finished,"_ Her hand rested on the wooden railing, fingers idly tapping out a disjointed rhythm as she contemplated, _"but I am worried about Caster. I am his Master, so shouldn't I be aware of his state?"_ Tamiko glanced back and forth, rocking slightly on her heels. Finally she took the first step. _"Maybe I can just take a peek, a quick in and out, at least to make sure Caster is alright."_

With her mind set, she began to climb the stairs. The wood creaked under her feet with each step. Her heart skipped a bit hoping Tanaka wouldn't realize what she was doing. It took her a few minutes to reach the upper floor.

Everything was shrouded in darkness, the moon providing the only light. Down the hallway she could hear a soft noise. It almost sounded like heavy breathing. Curious, Tamiko slowly followed the noise. The closer she got to the door, the louder the panting became.

Finally, she reached the door. It was not closed properly. Taking a shaky breath, Tamiko pushed the door slightly and took a peek.

Her eyes widened like saucers. Caster was laid out on a bed, his robes spread out and pooled around his waist, leaving him shirtless. He was blushing madly, his mouth hanging open as he panted and moaned loudly. Meanwhile, Tanaka straddled the boy's hips. Despite only seeing her back, Tamiko could tell her friend's school uniform was unbuttoned and hanging open.

Her face turned red whilst she jerked back, nearly stumbling as she did so. Without any hesitation, the girl rushed back toward the stairs as quietly as she could.

The clock ticked away as Tamiko sat on the couch awkwardly, her face still burning. The girl didn't dare to go upstairs again until Tanaka revealed herself. Taking in a deep breath, her eyes began to roam to the room. Having nothing to do, she decided to familiarize herself with the living room while she waited. Nothing stood out to her.

 _"Now that I think about it, this house sure looks haunted."_ She let out a sigh, slumping back slightly, _"Never thought Tanaka was the solitary type."_ Her eyelids drifted closed. _"Then again, I would've never thought Saito was also living a double life. Seems like I've been wrong about a lot of things since entering this war."_

The sound of creaking wood reached her ears. Eyes snapping open, she saw Tanaka walking down the stairs, not missing her fixing her slightly crumpled school uniform. She bit her lip, pushing the image of her servant with her friend on the bed to the back of her mind.

"Caster is going to be just fine," Tanaka smiled reassuringly as she walked over to her friend, "but he's still pretty wiped out, so he'll need a few more minutes before he can get back on his feet. In the meantime, there's something we need to talk about. It's about what happened earlier."

Tamiko paled.

 _"Oh god, she knows I saw her with Caster earlier!"_

Tanaka's green eyes hardened with her arms folded over her chest.

"Katou, you're not human, are you?"

Tamiko froze. She didn't expect Tanaka to ask her that. How could her best friend say such a thing? Of course she was human, she had to be. She's just a regular girl who accidentally stumbled into a conflict, nothing more.

"When I asked you to use your Command Spell to create a temporary link between Caster and I, you first refused, saying that you wanted to save them for later," Tanaka said, "But when I asked you to trust me, you obeyed me just like that, as if I had given you a command. Honestly, it was like you turned into a machine in that moment."

The ginger's hands clenched in her lap, her head leaning down. A machine. Had she truly been like that? No, it couldn't be. She was just a normal girl. Yet her friend wouldn't lie to her, would she? But then again, she had no idea the older teen was one of the seven Masters.

Tamiko let out a shaky breath, trying her best to keep her cool.

"If I'm not a human then... then what am I?"

"There's only one answer that comes to mind," Tanaka replied, "you must be a homunculus."

"I'm a what?"

"A homunculus, an artificial human that's more akin to a living doll. Homunculus are used as tools by magi. Maybe you were created for the purpose of participating in the holy grail war and winning the grail for your creator. That would explain why you're so obedient to commands," A small smirk formed on the older teen's lips. "And that explains why Saito was so keen on helping you in the beginning."

Tamiko's blood ran cold. "What do you mean?!"

"Isn't it obvious? If I managed to figure out you're a homunculus, that means Saito did too," She prowled around the couch, before stopping behind Tamiko. "Having discovered your true nature, Saito most likely sought to use you. He saw you as a tool that could be used for his own benefit. Typical magus behavior. He's not looking for an ally, he's looking for yet another advantage in the war."

Placing her hands on Tamiko's shoulders, Tanaka leaned forward to whisper, "So the moment you're no longer useful, he'll discard you."

Tamiko gasped as she immediately jumped off the couch and turned around to face the third-year.

"Tanaka, you're not serious are you? Saito can't be that heartless." She clasped her hands over her chest, "At least... he never seemed to be."

The older teen walked out from behind the couch as she said "May I remind you that you had to stop Saito from attacking me. He proved he will do anything and hurt anyone to claim the grail. Besides, he didn't even care about you before this war started. He never once interacted with you in length until now. Don't you find it strange he suddenly cares about you out of the blue?"

Tamiko glanced down at the floor.

"I honestly don't know anymore, Tanaka. I don't know what to think anymore."

All this new information weighed heavily on the girl's mind. It left her nothing but worried and exhausted. An uncomfortable silence settled in the air with the two teens rooted to their spots. After a few seconds, Tamiko sighed as she lifted up her head.

Yet when she opened her mouth to speak, a deep feminine voice spoke out "Master, I have returned."

A blue light appeared and formed, taking the shape of Saber. Her armor was broken in a few places and her clothes were torn to reveal cuts. Her face was shining with sweat and a few strands of hair had fallen out of her ponytail bun.

"Saber," Tanaka smiled in relief, "I'm glad you're still alright, Let me take care of those injuries."

Saber nodded her head in a sign of gratefulness. Within seconds the cuts glowed blue before vanishing, revealing unscathed skin. With her wounds now gone, the swordswoman dismissed her armor. Tamiko was surprised to see a beautiful green dress, held together by a black sash. She was unable to see it before with the armor in the way, but spanning across the skirt of the dress was the white silhouette of a dragon. Lifting up her gaze back to the Servant's face, she noticed the woman now staring at her with a small smile.

"Forgive me if removing my armor has left you puzzled." Saber said before bowing her head slightly, "As a guest in my Master's home, I must show my respect by lowering my guard. I only ask you to express your gratitude to my Master's kindness, as it would be dishonorable for both of us should you and your servant break the peace."

"Oh no no. I would never do anything like that." Tamiko immediately replied, waving her hands out in front of her. "Tanaka's my friend."

The swordswoman did not reply, only bending her torso in a bow.

"Alright Saber," Tanaka began, "tell me what happened with the Archer. Were you able to successfully eliminate him?"

Straightening back up, the dark-haired woman turned toward her Master.

"I was not." Saber revealed bluntly. "His strength seem to be superior to mine. For each blade I managed to shatter, a new blade appeared to counter. After a long fight, because his objectives were no longer there, he withdrew from the battle." The warrior frowned. "Discontent with imitating Saber he must've taken to Assass..." She froze mid sentence and closed her eyes with a soft breath. "When the enemy disengaged I pursued, but running low on mana, I was unable to reach him. That is everything I saw. I'll double my training and won't fail you again, Master."

Tanaka's green eyes hardened. Her teeth were clenched and her nails digging into her arms.

"Damn it, and he's a pretty good sniper. Caster only managed to barely get Katou clear of the shot. If we want to defeat this Archer, we need to figure out what he's capable of." Her arms dropped to her side. "Saber, were you able to recognize any notable details about him?"

Saber grasped her chin, deep in thought. "His appearance does not stir memories of any of the men from my era. But, there was something I did recognize." Her silver eyes closed with her brows furrowed. "The twin blades he wielded. They were Kanshou and Bakuya, the married swords. Two swords crafted in the image of yin and yang, forged by Gān Jiàng and his wife Mò Yé who sacrificed herself for their creation. The legend of these swords were passed down for hundreds of years."

"Kanshou and Bakuya?" Tanaka asked, stunned from hearing those words.

Tamiko frowned in worry, "Wouldn't only Gān Jiàng be able to use those swords?"

The elder teen shook her head. "No, the Mystery surrounds the swords themselves rather than the blacksmith. It would be impossible for him to manifest as a servant." She began to pace back and forth across the floor. "Even then, the swords themselves shouldn't have a psychical form. They are said to be heavenly swords with no known shape. The only descriptions were that Kanshou had a black tortoise shell pattern and Bakuya had a white wave pattern." The girl stopped in her tracks, head turning toward her servant. "Saber, are you absolutely sure those are the blades you saw?"

Saber's silver eyes snapped wide open.

"Yes. Although it was weak, I could sense power resonating from the blades, I do not doubt for a moment they were the heavenly blades."

Tanaka let out a sigh, clearly displeased with this revelation.

"If he's not Gān Jiàng, then why does he have those swords?" Tamiko asked.

"I don't know, that's what gets me."

She let out a deep breath.

"Your servant should be fully healed now. I felt his connection with me disappear just now. You should get him and head on home, Caster will keep you safe."

The ginger-haired girl's heart almost skipped a beat. Temporarily forgetting her worries, she darted up the stairs, the wood creaking obnoxiously underneath her feet. She raced down the hallway, reaching the single door at the end once more. Swinging open the door, she found Caster sitting up on the bed. His robe wasn't quite completely closed, showing that his chest was indeed healed, as if it were never injured in the first place.

Tamiko didn't hesitate running over and hugging the young boy. "Caster, I'm so sorry! I'm so sorry I didn't listen to you!"

"It's... it's honestly alright Master." Caster shyly muttered, "Servants are meant to clash. I'm always... i'm always going to... to get hurt."

"No, it's not okay." Tamiko slowly released her servant, eyes cast downward to the bed covers. "You warned me I wasn't ready. I promised to be equals, but so far I've only been a burden. I placed so many expectations on you, convinced I would be safe so long as you were by my side. Yet all that has done is almost get you killed. I'm... I'm completely useless."

Her body stiffened, briefly recalling Tanaka's words of _"So the moment you're no longer useful, he'll discard you."_

A sigh reached her ears and she felt the bed shift. Lifting her gaze, she saw Caster climbing out of the bed and his attire return to his casual clothing.

Without even looking at her, he said "Tamiko, even if you were a capable fighter, I would still put my life on the line for you. It is a servant's duty to protect their Master. It is true I want you to be better prepared in the future. But my point is, you shouldn't hate yourself over this mistake. All you can do is accept what you've done, and make amends to correct it moving forward. It's human nature to grow as a person."

Tamiko stared in awe at the white-haired boy.

"Make... amends."

Those words resonated with deeply with her. They seemed foreign, even alien like to her.

 _"_ _Katou, you're not human, are you?"_

Her hands clenched the fabric of her skirt.

"Tamiko?"

The ginger blinked her eyes a few times, seeing her Servant facing her once more with concern on his face.

"Is there something still troubling you? You were staring at me for quite a bit."

A blush spread on Tamiko's cheeks before she promptly shook her head.

"I'm fine, Caster. Just still a little shaken" she said as she stood up and smoothed out her skirt, "We should get back home before Uncle Ken realizes I'm gone."

She quickly turned away from the teenage boy, not checking for his response. Her only indicator of him following was the sound of his footsteps.

As she reached the bottom of the stairs, she could hear Tanaka muttering "Damn it, I was right. I can't hear as good in my left ear anymore. That sonic shriek of Saito's blew it out. I swear the next time I see him I'll-"

She cut herself off when she noticed Tamiko at the foot of the stairs with Caster. Immediately she cleared her throat, erasing any venomous aura she once held. Aside her, Saber stood silently, giving off the image of a stoic warrior.

Attempting to break the silence, Tamiko spoke up "Thank you for saving Caster. I know you said it was only a one time thing, but I'm still grateful either way."

Without another word, she made her way over to the door. She grabbed a hold of the doorknob, but paused when her friend called out to her. Looking back, she noticed Tanaka giving her a determined gaze.

"Do not forgot about what we discussed earlier."

Tamiko's heart ached in response; her hurt clearly flickering in her eyes. She did not give any words of reply, only a curt nod. Seeing as there was no reason to linger any longer, she finally left.

As they began the long trek back to home, she considered Tanaka's claim. Her steps faltered as she lifted her hand, staring at the missing Command Spell.

 _"I am human... right?"  
_

* * *

Laughter rang out into the air. Daisuke didn't care much for the taste of alcohol, but tonight was a special occasion. The team had just closed the Makima file today, and of course they wanted to go out to celebrate. Which meant beer and karaoke, and lots of it. Yamada leaned heavily on his shoulder, reeking of cheap cocktails and crushed dreams.

"Had a little too much to drink there, Yamada?" Daisuke chuckled, helping his friend balance.

"Too-hic took us ten years to fin-finez the killer. Yet we cornered that sleazeball."

"I have to admit, it's hard for me to believe. Ten years ago a family was killed with little to no evidence as to who did it."

Daisuke smiled fondly at the achievement. The case was considered a lost cause, grouped together with the string of murders that had taken place in the year of 2004. But Daisuke had refused to give up, not willing to rest until justice was served.

"Goodz thing, that key wit-hic witness showed up. Helped us track down that rat in the apartment he was holed up in. Still though. Even if you're a killer you should at least tidy the place up a bit don't you think? I was more afraid of catching the plague than getting shot in there. "

Yamada let out a hearty drunk laugh."No, to be honest, my apartment isn't in a much better state these days either! Hahaha!" Swinging his arms widely in the air, he accidentally knocked Daisuke into a trash can.

Garbage spilled out onto the ground and Daisuke. He grunted a bit, brushing the debris off his clothes.

"Dai-chan! You're starting to look like my apartment yourself! AAHAHA!"

"Tch...Didn't I already say to sto-"

Suddenly there was the sound of footsteps. Daisuke peered further into the alley. Standing within it appeared to be a young girl. She wore a long sleeved jacket with the hood pulled over her head, with a black skirt, leggings, and boots.

Daisuke stood up and approached the girl. He was puzzled by puzzled by the girl's appearance, and from the huff behind him, he knew he wasn't the only one. Had she been lost? Is she homeless? There was only one way to find the answers.

"Hey kid," Daisuke greeted as he knelt down to her level, "don't you know it's dangerous to be out so late?"

He placed his hand on her shoulder. The girl's head tilted toward the hand. Without a word, she gently grabbed ahold of his wrist. Daisuke smiled, but it quickly twisted into grimace. His wrist began to feel like it had been set ablaze. He tried to pull away, but the girl only tightened her grip. His concern quickly shifted into panic when he noticed black liquid leaking out from the girl's hand.

"Wh-what the hell is this stuff?!"

But it wasn't only from her hand; underneath the girl's feet a large puddle of the black liquid had formed and was quickly spreading. Even with shoes on, his feet were consumed by the invisible blaze. Daisuke's heart raced, watching as the substance crawled up his legs.

"Daisuke!" Yamada screamed out.

He looked back to see his partner fumbling to pull out it his gun. But his drunken nature prevented a steady hand, and the gun fell to the ground. Yamada scrambled for the gun. But once he grabbed ahold of the handle, the black liquid instantly consumed both the gun and his hand.

 _"Oh god."_ Daisuke thought as he watched in horror as Yamada stood up screaming.

Panic was painted on Yamada's face as he desperately started clawing at his own skin. As if it were alive, the liquid surged up his arm. Yamada's screams only grew louder as his arm contorted with the sound of bones snapping. The only thing that was able to draw Daisuke away from the horrendous sight was his own pain. He watched his fingers bent in unnatural ways. Then, from his fingertips, long black claws burst forth. Daisuke screamed with tears streaming down his face. The burning had covered his entire body but his head. He could feel his bones shift and break, twisting his body into a monstrous state.

The liquid finally reached his head; seeping into mouth, ears, and nose. He could no longer scream. Only bubbled gurgles coming out as the liquid rushed into him. Looking up at the girl- No, the demon that held him, he couldn't see most of her face. All he could see was the teeth formed into a demented grin. Finally, the liquid reached his eyes, leaking into them as easily as his mouth. He could not see, he could not hear, he could not speak. All that remained was the pain and the burning.


End file.
